QPS took cancer research fundraising to new heights yesterday with more than three times raised for this year’s Climb for Cancer event compared to last year’s climb.
The team has raised more than $7,500 for climbing/running/stumbling up Waterfront Place’s 810 stairs (37 floors).
The event raised more than $230,000 this year which will be donated to Mater Research to reduce the negative effects of chemotherapy on cancer patients, helping to reduce their recovery time and to increase their prospects of successful chemo treatment.
The QPS Climb for Cancer team also expanded this year to 28 participants, 12 more than last year’s team, making it the largest QPS team to participate in the event to date.
The team also had their fully kitted Public Safety Response Team colleagues join them to match the efforts of QFES who had some of their members complete the climb in their full kit. Unfortunately, QFES still won the challenge with four of their team making the top 10 of the 595 event climbers.
The event’s QPS Team Leader Senior Constable Andrew Edgecomb said the QPS team was not as fast as last year.
"This year we ran in at 27 minutes and 25 seconds, our time last year was 24 minutes 29 seconds. QFES was also slower though at 22 minutes 11 seconds compared to last year’s 20 minutes 33 seconds," Constable Edgecomb said.
"Considering we had a few climbers who had to pull out on the day of the climb due to illness, it was a very good effort from everyone.
"We did beat the QAS team though, who came in at 20 overall with a team time of 32 minutes and 50 seconds."
Constable Edgecomb said he was proud of the QPS team for such a wonderful contribution to research and for making it to the end of the tough climb.
"Everyone did a great job, not just with fundraising, but with the climb itself. 37 stories is a lot to get through, and to climb all those stairs in less than 10 to 15 minutes is an incredible feat," Constable Edgecomb said.
"You get lactic acid build up in your legs, breathing becomes a struggle, and your body just can’t manage to get enough oxygen into your lungs quickly enough. It’s painful, but I’m sure it’s nothing compared to what cancer patients on chemotherapy have to go through just to survive.
"If our fundraising efforts for this event make even the slightest difference in the fight against this terrible disease, then it is all worth it."
"While we lost to QFES, we were the fifth fastest team overall (out of 62 teams) and the fifth highest fundraising team."
"I’d like to give a special mention to Senior Constable Megan Ward from Logan Station and Rebecca Chapman from State Crime Command Administration who each raised over $1,000."
Climb for Cancer began in 2012 and is an annual fundraising event organised for Mater Research.
QPS has participated in the Police v Firies challenge every year since 2013. This is the first year QAS has joined in the challenge.
For more information on Climb for Cancer click here.
To donate to the QPS team click here.
