NSS will be vying for the honour to head up the Convoy for The Cure when it rolls through Townsville in May.
The charity drive raises funds to help research into the cancers which most effect children.
‘The Cure’ in ‘Convoy for The Cure’ is The Cure Starts Now (Australia) which is based in Townsville.
It’s the home of founder, Ren Pedersen, who is also a Northern Stevedoring Services staff member.
Ren’s seven-year-old daughter, Amy, sadly passed away from cancer in 2009.
He’s been tireless in the journey to help find cures for the deadliest paediatric brain tumours, creating The Cure Starts Now (Australia) and raising more than $1.5M locally in the past few years.
The disease is called DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) which is an aggressive type of cancer that forms in the brainstem. It’s extremely rare and almost always occurs in the paediatric population.
Northern Stevedoring Services is co-naming rights sponsor with Power FM for the 2024 event thanks to a $20,000 donation.
The charity aligns to the business’ values said NSS General Manager Mark George.
“The annual Convoy is seen as a big thing in transport and logistics locally and with its charity link to The Cure Starts Now our management and staff thought, ‘what better way to highlight the importance of research into this dreaded disease?’”
“Our staff have felt the effects of this particular cancer first-hand and want to do anything we as a company can do to support them. The Cure Starts Now through Convoy is a great thing.”
There is another honour Mark wants to win for the business.
The company which raises the most donations gets the right to the ‘Lead Truck’ and lead the convoy through the streets of Townsville from Webb Drive to Ross Dam Park for around two hours.
It’s a competitive fundraising process which is monitored by a countdown online platform and staff are encouraged to get on board and donate, with NSS matching staff donations.
So go to the website, hit donate. Select the toggle ‘Is this a company donation?’ and put in NSS as the company that gets the credit for the donation.
The event has been running annually since 2017 attracting more than 1350 trucks and 485 bikes under police escort who get a ‘green light corridor’ while moving along an approved route, from Webb Drive onto Ingham Road into Duckworth Street, along Dalrymple Road, onto Thuringowa Drive continuing onto Riverway Drive, finishing at Ross Dam Park. NSS would love to see staff involved and enjoy the event on the day.
It starts at 9AM Sunday 26th May. Bidding on the lead truck can be made up until midday Saturday 25thMay.
For more information contact Todd Martin 0428 487 981.
