Hi Everyone,

I know this will seem very sudden, but this has been in the planning for a few months now, and I have had to modify the original fundraiser to what it is now. Trying to obtain sponsorship was was like pulling teeth, and was to no avail anyway.

I have decided to do this fundraiser anyway, at my own cost, and am now asking for your assistance, no matter how much, to donate to this cause, as it does affect everyone either directly or indirectly by way of knowing someone who has this insideous disease.

My family and I are fortunate enough to not have this disease at this point in time, but having lost both parents and other relatives to cancer over the years, and knowing others that have this insidious disease, I am determined to help raise funds for The Australian Cancer Research Foundation so they can continue to fund research into finding better treatments and hopefully a cure to rid us of this disease. Not all of us are affected by cancer, but statistics show that 1 in 3 Australians will be affected by cancer by the age of 75. Each year in Australia, 106,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed, with 39,000 estimated deaths. To put this into perspective, this would be approximately 7,000,000 million people in Australia who will be affected in one way or another by cancer.

I alone can only contribute a small amount and offer little help. With my 2400 mile (3800km) drive in my unmodified 1965 VW Beetle and with your support and that of others, we will be able to help contribute a great deal more for those in need of improved diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The name of the event will be called "Bug Off Cancer Drive". A Big Drive for a Good Cause Against a Bad Disease. The drive will commence from Sydney on Thursday 29 July 2010 and head to Broken Hill, Adelaide then the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne, through snow country (weather pending) to Canberra, then back to Sydney via the coast. The total time of the event is expected to be approximately 6-7days.

In order to maximise the fundraising, I will be making contact with TV networks, local and national newspapers and of course work colleagues and family and friends. By maximising the exposure of this event, I will hopefully be able to achieve a minimum of $1.60/km or preferably a target of $1,000.00/day to achieve a target of $6,000 of raised funds which could be well utilised in funding further cancer research.

About Australian Cancer Research Foundation:

Funds are raised exclusively for cancer research, not just treatment, but equally important, prevention and diagnosis. Their grants are for projects looking for all types of cancer.

They fund facilities not provided for by State or Federal governments.

They receive no government funding or assistance at all.
Every dollar of every donation received goes directly to cancer research

Their funding has made a real difference to the quality of life of patients with cancer. Foundation funds have supported the discovery of new ways to detect and treat all the types of cancers, including Breast and Prostate Cancer, Bowel and Colon Cancer, Children's Cancers, Lung Cancer, Brain Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Liver Cancer Lymphoma and Leukaemia

Their research has led to improved survival rates in breast cancer patients, as well as a clearer understanding of the characteristics that cause cells to become cancerous.

I must stress that this event is not being held by The Australian Cancer Research Fund, but is one of my own initiative, and that all funds raised will go to The Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

I will shortly post a link to where direct online donations can be made and you are issued a receipt on the spot.

Also, please fell free to pass this e-mail onto to those who may want to help raise funds. All the help that can be gathered will be more than appreciated.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this and hopefully we can help to fight this insideous, horrible disease.


Best regards,


Norman Elias

Here is the link to the fundraising page:

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/norman_elias 


Please click on this link to visit my fundraising page to find out all about it. Please give as little or as much as you can spare to sponsor me. It only takes a few seconds.

Every dollar of every donation received by the Australian Cancer Research Foundation goes to cancer research.

Please do spread the word and forward this email to as many people as possible.

Thanks again.

Best Regards,

Norman Elias

Hi Norman.

What a wonderful thing to do!

As you say, most of us will have someone close affected by cancer at some time. My wife - we've been married for 46 years - has Lymphoma, and is undergoing radical treatment at the moment.

If you will be near the Southern Highlands during your drive, perhaps we can meet up? I would be glad to help if I can. Email greg@kirrapak.com

Cheers, Greg

I'm sorry to hear about your wife Greg. I do sincerely hope she makes a full recovery from her treatment.

Also, thanks for that generous offer Greg. I will keep that in mind and drop you a line if/when I'm nearby.

Take care and keep strong.

Hi All,

Just an update on the Drive. The target of $6000.00 was reached prior to my departure from Sydney yesterday, which was a great achievement for just on 3 weeks.

There was a news article in the St George/Sutherland Leader Tuesday of last week about the fundraiser drive, and there was also an article in The Cobar Weekly on Wednesday just passed.

Left Sydney yesterday morning, with first stop Bathurst, then refuelled at Orange. Lunch and refuel at Nyngan, with an overnight in Cobar. Gary at the Crossroads Motel in Cobar kindly donated the night's accommodation ($75.00 value) toward the funraising. Thanks very much Gary.

As for the car, it did the 739km yesterday without missing a beat or even a stutter.

The leg today was from Cobar to Broken Hill, with the only stop being in Wilcannia for fuel. Most of that run was in rain and thinderstorms. Again, the car didn't miss a beat.

The Sturt Motel in Broken Hill discounted 50% of the accommodation rate as a donation to the fundraiser. This is also very much appreciated.

Tomorrow will be off to Adelaide for leg three of the drive.

Keep well all.

Hi Cam. Sorry to hear about your younger brother, and hope he has made a full recovery from this horrible disease.

Day 3 of the trip was smooth and greeted with crystal clear weather from Broken Hill to Burra in SA (about 100km from Adelaide). Again, the bug didn't miss a beat, and could have kept going. The only stop on the run today was for a relief stop and fuel at Yunta in SA and then onto Adelaide.

Tomorrow is leg four of the drive and off to Warrnambool via the coast, then onto Melbourne on Monday.

Keep well all.

Hi to those that may be interested.

The BUG OFF Cancer! Drive has finall ended. After 2542 miles (4067km) and 327 litres of fuel, the fundraising was a success and the mission accomplished.

The only real drama was a loss of power between Kingston SA and Warrnambool VIC. As there were severe storms and heavy rain, I kept going, albeit slower than the usual pace being set. Upon arriving at Warrnambool in the evening, I was fortunate enough to get accommodation with a double garage, so I was out of the weather to look at the car. I pulled the plugs, and found No. 4 plug to be oil fouled. The others were fine. I did an ignition check, and all plugs fired quite well. Points were fine, distributor cap was fine, rotor was fine, and I couldn't see anything too obvious that could be wrong.

The engine idled fine, and at high rpm was fine, but under load, it would shudder lightly until rpms increased. That was on Sunday. I drove through rain for the next couple of days along the Ocean Road, and it was still the same.

Today, on the way back from Canberra, the car seemed to drive better, but not like it was at the beginning of the trip, but much better than when there was the initial loss of power.

I have noticed this afternoon that there are a couple of nicks in the No. 4 ignition lead, and there is the possibility with all the rain, that water/condensation could have gotten in and affected the firing.

Anyway, the drive was great, and the bug went the distance without too much drama.

I've included some pics for those that may be interested.

I know I seem to be the only one posting on this thread, but I must acknowledge the generosity of Club VeeDub Sydney for their generous donation to Australian Cancer Research Foundation last night at their monthly meeting at the Greyhound Social Club in Yagoona.

A great deal of thanks goes to Steve Carter for contacting me to be guest speaker at the meeting and the rest of the committee to allow club funds to be donated to such a good cause. It was my pleasure to discuss the trip in some detail and the overall success of the fundraising.

The audience before me appeared to be genuinely interested in the trip and in what I had to say.

The inital target of $6,000 was more than achieved and the generous donation last night took the total to over $7,000.

Who knows? There could be a Bug Off Cancer! Drive II in 2011.

Once again, a BIG Thanks to Club VeeDub and its members.

Best regards,

Norm Elias

PS: For anyone interested, I have posted a short video on youtube about the trip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS4qCZnIPio 

You can also read about the trip at http://www.acrf.com.au/bug-off-cancer-drive/  and http://www.acrf.com.au/bug-off-cancer-drive-a-great-success/ 

Hey Norm,

Just wanted to say congratulations and a big slap on the back for the wonderful work you've done!
It's people much like yourself that will allow further research to become a reality, and hopefully put an end to the horror that is cancer.

I was overseas at the time of the cruise but I would have supported it ten-fold if I had had the chance.

Thanks for being an everyday hero.

Cheers,
Ollie

Hi Ollie,

Thanks for the support. The cruise was the biggest I have undertaken. In a Beetle anyway. It was a great deal of fun, whilst helping raise funds for cancer research and supporting local economies in the central parts of NSW, SA and VIC during the cruise.

Regards,

Norm

Hiya Norm,

I'm around to this thread quite late. Why? Most of my time over the past couple of months has been focused on cancer. Specifically, my own. Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. And if one knows the stats for this particular "bad boy" of cancer one can understand why my attention has been focused on matters other than VWs.

Speaking as a person who has to come to daily grips with this malignant menace I can only say, "Thank you, Norm". It is people like you who will eventually wipe out this disease. People who care enough to actually do something instead of sitting on the sidelines muttering commiserations.

Norm

Thanks for the short talk on your journey the other night at the club meeting

Well done Norm, congratulations on passing your goal, every cent counts I'm sure.

Thanks Greg!

The odds for me are long, very long. But I am not one to go gently into that good night. I aim to give this cancer the best of fights.

Meanwhile I'm guessing that Norm would take contributions after the fact.............wouldn't you Norm?