General News
27 March, 2025
Lourey finds synergy for a good cause
LILY Lourey is planning to run 27 kilometres on Thursday, March 27 – the day after she turns 27 – in a bid to raise money for cancer research.
She has already raised more than $3670 for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation after friends and family threw their support behind her cause.
Ms Lourey said she had the idea to run 26 kilometres on her 26th birthday last year, but this year wanted to expand on the concept to raise funds for a good cause.
“It’s got good synergy,” she said.
“My birthday is on March 26 and last year I’d made a promise to run 26 kilometres, but I didn’t end up doing it.
“I promised myself I would train for it and be ready this year.
“It initially wasn’t for fundraising, just something I wanted to do for myself, but it evolved because everyone in the south west knows someone touched by cancer and our family is not excluded from that statistic.
“This is a cause close to our family so I reached out and asked people what cause I could run for, and they all said it would be a good idea to raise funds for Peter Mac.”
Ms Lourey said she was thrilled to donate to the foundation as it had proven itself as an innovator which was relied on by the countless people who have spent days seeking support.
While her ambitions originally were small, within 48 hours she had far exceeded her fundraising target.
“It’s pretty overwhelming,” she said.
“I get an email every time someone donates and they all just came in thick and fast.
“It blew me away.
“A lot of support has come from the south west and there’s also been a lot of support from my gym where I’m currently living in New South Wales
“I expected it to be close friends and family but it’s gone well and far beyond it.”
Ms Lourey said she plans on running from Terang to Noorat before circling her way through a planned course all around Terang, and encouraged anyone who could to get behind the effort.
“It’s all for a good cause so the more we can all raise, the better,” she said.
“There are no easy cures for cancers, it’s all preventative, but Peter Mac is an innovative foundation and we all hope for a future which does not involve cancer.”
Ms Lourey thanked everyone who had generously donated to the cause, and looked forward to words of encouragement during her run.
“A massive thank you to the community for getting behind me, especially for someone who has since moved away from town,” she said.
“It shows how tight knit our community is,” she said.
“Get out there and yell at me if you see me out and about, and please donate if you can because what I’m doing is nothing compared to what other people are gong through.”
If you would like to support Ms Lourey you can do so online at https://fundraise.petermac.org.au/lilys27onthe27thfor27years.