This year’s Pacing For Pink campaign will be spurring Gemma Hewitt on to victory more than most.
Hewitt will be one of eleven senior Queensland drivers, along with seven mini-trots competitors, who will don pink pants for the month of May, joining drivers from around Australia in supporting the McGrath Foundation.
Both male and female drivers racing in pink in the Sunshine State will raise awareness and much-needed funds via sponsors in the fight against breast cancer.
The Hewitt family has been involved with the Pacing For Pink campaign since New South Wales joined the fundraising efforts.
But for Gemma, it’s a cause that carries an extra personal touch this year after her cousin Rachel was diagnosed with breast cancer in the last twelve months.
“It was Stage 3, so she’s undergone a lot of intensive chemotherapy and just finished her radiation,” Hewitt said.
“It’s obviously touched home a little bit more this year but she’s doing well thanks to the McGrath Foundation and everything it provides.
“The breast care nurses are just honestly the greatest people in the world, so they’ve helped her through all of the therapy and done a lot of unpaid overtime hours.
“Throughout the treatment, they’re there from day one, and she said that they’re a little bit more of a human voice, as opposed to a doctor’s voice.
“They’re a godsend and if we can continue to fund it, it makes everyone’s journey a little bit easier.”
The racing industry in Queensland contributed $3,200 to the cause in 2023, with over 220 drivers raising $126,000 as part of national campaign.
This year, the target is $150,000, which is sufficient enough to support and fund a full-time McGrath Breast Care Nurse, including training and development.
Hewitt is hoping the Queensland racing industry can dig deep again in 2024.
“Breast cancer is the biggest cause of cancer for women in Australia and obviously it’s not only women as well, it’s men too,” she said.
“It’s quite common and one in seven women that we know in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer and it’s one in 500 men - so at some stage it’s generally going to affect our lives at some point.
“Obviously all of the fundraising for the McGrath Foundation has just made the treatments so much more advanced throughout Australia.
“It’s great that everybody gets on board and I’ve got a really good sponsor in Jewel Racing, they’re the biggest client in my stable and they support a lot of my family.
“It’s just really good to be supported and sponsored and I hope I can raise as much money as I can throughout May.”
The initiative was set up by coordinator Marg Watson in country Victoria in 2011, and has since expanded to include the whole of Victoria as well as Tasmania, Western and South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.
The ACT will also come on board for the first time this year.
Throughout that time, over $446,000 has been raised.
RQ Senior Racing Manager – Harness David Brick said he hoped to see Queensland break last year’s fundraising tally.
“Primarily it’s through the pants and the sponsors that contribute towards it...there’s a range of different fundraising events that are run throughout the nation through clubs and the like to raise further funds,” Brick said.
“A good cross section of the industry gets involved, and it’s a bit different to Team Teal in the sense that it’s male and female involved.
“I think they’re all really keen to get involved because breast cancer can touch all of us in a different way whether it be mother, sister or other family members or just general friends.
“It doesn’t matter what gender you are, it’s something that’s really important to raise awareness of and funds for.”
The McGrath Foundation's goal to place 250 Breast Care Nurses in communities across Australia by 2025 was achieved at this year’s Pink Test in Sydney - however, more funds are needed to ensure this number is maintained.
The foundation also recently received government funding to educate and train a further 100 nurses specializing in other forms of cancer.
Click here for more information on Pacing for Pink.
Sponsors and drivers participating in the 2024 Pacing For Pink campaign:
Senior Drivers:
- Artie's Demolitions Pty. Ltd. - Anna Payne
- Artie's Demolitions Pty. Ltd. – Amanda Payne
- "Butler Racing" - Chloe Butler
- Jewell Racing - Gemma Hewitt
- Lend Pro – Alanah Richardson
- Llandillo – Doug Hewitt
- Lowland Equine Services – Gary Whitaker
- McMullen Racing – Taleah McMullen
- Panasonic Studio Productions (PSP) – Nathan Dawson
- Tarampa Hotel – Jordan Topping
- Turpin McMullen Racing – Pete McMullen
Mini Trot Drivers:
- Perfectly Pulsed Therapy – Lara Whitaker
- PONY 3 – Holly Melksham
- PST Automative Services – Lorelei Limpus
- Somerset Farms – Rylee McMullen
- Somerset Farms – Olivia McMullen
- Tess Neaves – Charlee Neaves
- Trent Dawson – Matilda Dawson
