Ricky Ponting, James Hird and Glenn Archer joined forces at the
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute this week to announce a
special fundraising initiative to help improve quality of life
outcomes for children with cancer.
On June 18, players from Essendon and North Melbourne will
battle it out on the football field for the Archer-Hird medal,
awarded for courage. The teams will also be helping to support
courage on another level by raising funds for research to improve
the mental health and wellbeing of children who courageously battle
cancer.
A wide range of fundraising activities will take place at the
Essendon and North Melbourne clash. Ponting, Hird and Archer will
be supported by an army of volunteers who will be collecting gold
coin donations at the game in return for instant scratch and win
cards that give fans an opportunity to win a trip for two to
Tasmania or one of 20 cricket bats personally signed by Ricky.
The Ponting Foundation, together with the Victorian State
Government, is funding this cancer research at the Murdoch
Childrens.
The research, which is led by Maria McCarthy at the Children's
Cancer Centre, will follow children through their cancer journey to
understand, and improve the mental health and quality of life
outcomes for children with cancer, and their families.