Saying “Yes” to changing lives and ending cancer

Can4Cancer is a CommBank Staff Foundation initiative in partnership with Tour de Cure that raises vital funds to support researchers working towards curing and preventing cancer. In 2023, Optus was again delighted to be a Platinum partner of the event and even more pleased to see nearly 100 Optus staff members taking part in fundraising walks and rides. 

Can4Cancer events are always an uplifting occasion, bringing together teams and individuals from companies big and small, all united in the quest to raise awareness and inspire support for the fight to cure cancer. 

“Cancer is something that touches so many people,” said Matt Formston, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Sponsorship Executive at Optus Enterprise, whose own father and aunt have both had personal experience of the disease. “It was great to see so many people at Optus get involved this year – it was our biggest turn-out since the pandemic.”

As well as a chance to raise vital funds for research, the project is very much aligned to Optus’ values and culture. Involvement with Can4Cancer is also an additional channel by which Optus can support major enterprise customers such as Commonwealth Bank and Westpac, amplifying the impact that each organisation could have individually. 

Image Source: Optus employees, Sydney Can4Cancer Walk 2023

2023 was a record-breaking year for the charity. Fundraising reached new levels, with a total of $2.5 million raised and over 7,622 participants getting involved across Australia. Even more impressive, participants collectively walked, rode and ran over 126,000 km.

This year’s result was particularly heartening given the current cost of living crisis. “Participants really had to dig deep to raise funds this year. As always though, it was so special to see people complete their first ever 21-km walk or 120-km ride … to see how physically exhausted they might be, and yet so emotionally uplifted to have achieved it,” said Formston.

Image Source: Tour De Cure, Can4Cancer Walk 2023

To date, the generosity of Can4Cancer’s supporters has enabled the charity to fund over 70 cancer projects, resulting in 17 breakthroughs, as well as 44 local support grants thanks to the generous support of walkers, runners, riders and corporate partners. 

One local grant recipient this year was the Nepean Cancer and Wellness Centre who are working on a project to develop bereavement resources for individuals bereaved by a cancer death in Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District. Previous recipients of major funding have included the Australian Melanoma Research Foundation, Cancer Council Australia, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Children’s Medical Research Institute, amongst many others.

Find out more

Find out more about the events and discover how you can help Can4Cancer fund vital research into the disease here.

And for more information on Optus’s approach to sustainability and the communities we’re part of, visit the Optus sustainability page here.