These Ray White Birkenhead team members have just returned from their trip of a lifetime on the Great Wall Challenge having raised over $83,000 to support patients and families living with blood cancer.
On Friday 15 September members of the Ray White Birkenhead team jetted off to China to show their support for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand. This unique fundraising initiative saw Ray White Birkenhead team members Stephen Wong, Linda Wong and Nicky Hattam along with a few of their commercial and residential clients from Rakino Island raise over $83,000 for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC) – smashing their combined target of $60,000. The team (who self-funded their own travel and expenses) committed to completing the 50km hike across the Great Wall of China with a small group of other New Zealanders and fundraised for the charity prior to leaving.
Over 20,000 kilometres long, and over 2,300 years old, winding its way across the north of China, from the Yellow Sea to the Gobi Desert, the Great Wall of China is one of mankind’s most impressive accomplishments. The remote, five- day trek took the group over 50km of unrestored paths, through mountains, local villages and across rolling farmlands. The toughest day of trekking saw the team climb 1000 stairs, up and down… “Not an easy task!” said Stephen Wong, Principal of Ray White Birkenhead “it’s the equivalent of 214 floors, but we were pushing ourselves, both physically and mentally, for a brilliant cause… And, we couldn’t have hoped for a better bunch of people to share this experience with. It was a truly amazing, but humbling experience.”
“My mother and I were so proud to put in the hard yards to help LBC by way of steps … some of the most difficult steps in the world … off the beaten track in China on the Great Wall… We did some preliminary weekly training in the leadup to the trip to ensure we had the stamina to tackle the mighty steps…. We understand it’s nothing like the stamina required to tackle Leukaemia but a step in the right direction from those of us that are healthy to support those who are not so lucky.” said Nicky Hattam
Blood Cancer or a related condition can strike anyone, anywhere, without warning. Every day six children and adults in New Zealand are diagnosed with a blood cancer like leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand is their direct support. LBC provide information booklets and children’s books about living with blood cancer and its treatments; they also produce resources for GPs, education programmes for families, and they run campaigns to raise awareness in our community of this terrible disease. The fundraising received from the Great Wall Challenge is being directly used towards their national support and education programs – which includes the ‘Monkey in My Chair’ program – designed to keep our young patients connected to their classmates while they undergo treatment by educating fellow classmates about the condition.
“It is important to us to support the community and assist those less fortunate. The LBC does not receive government funding and we feel committed to help the charity grow their services – which enables them to support patients and their families across the country. We are always on the lookout for opportunities to do, and try, different things that will benefit our local community and charitable organisations. ” said Linda Wong, Ray White Birkenhead Business Owner.
Stephen Wong, Linda Wong and Nicky Hattam have been regular supporters of Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand – participating in their annual Step Up Sky Tower Stair Challenge – an event which this year raised over $450,000 for the charity. The decision to take on the Great Wall of China was made when LBC approached the team earlier in the year. Seeing the opportunity as a step-up to the Sky Tower Challenge the Great Wall of China Challenge took the team even further out of their comfort zone, and while they are certainly keen to do another overseas fundraiser for the charity, at this stage they have their sights on the 2019 Step Up Sky Tower Stair Challenge.
Ray White Birkenhead are proudly part of Ray White’s 11-strong network of offices on Auckland’s North Shore and also proud supporters of Ronald McDonald House Charities. Drop in and see the team at 38 Mokoia Road in Birkenhead.