When Aaron Hester’s eight-year-old daughter Lily died from a rare liver cancer in 2014, the physical education teacher from Maribyrnong College didn’t much feel like doing fundraising.
“They were pretty grey days to be honest,” recalled Mr Hester of the grieving period following Lily’s death nearly 11 years ago.
But that changed when a friend recommended they do a fundraising bike ride for children’s cancer research, and in April 2016, the first Ride for Lily took place.
However, in a cruel twist of fate, Mr Hester was already dealing with another cancer battle by then, with his wife Sianne having been diagnosed with breast cancer just three months after Lily’s death.
By the time of the first ride, Sianne required an oxygen tank to just sit in a support car.
She died on May 30, 2016, one month after the first Ride for Lily and less than two years after the death of the daughter after which it was named.
Suddenly a single father to sons, Oliver and Archer, Mr Hester continued on with the Ride for Lily, adding charitable foundation, Live for Lily, as well.
“Almost 10 years and $2.5 million later, this is our ninth ride,” said Mr Hester ahead of the 2025 Ride for Lily from Port Macquarie to Noosa, which began on Sunday, April 6.
Mr Hester and 30 other riders, including now 18-year-old Oliver, are expected to finish on Saturday, April 12.
While the location changes ach year, the 1000km distance remains, as does the goal of fundraising for the Children’s Cancer Institute (CCI), with Mr Hester expecting to generate between $250,000 to $300,000 from the 2025 event.
Details: www.liveforlily.org.au/
Cade Lucas
