By Aaron Kirby
Jackie Brown is riding to improve the lives of sick children throughout Australia. Photo by Aaron Kirby.
A Perth mum is using personal tragedy as her motivation to help sick kids.
Jackie Brown is a mum of eight and next year will take part in the eighth annual Bright Blue Gibb River Postie Bike Ride.
She says helping sick children is an issue close to her families’ heart after losing a child in 2010.
“Having been through what we’ve been through anything that makes things easier and creates an end to some of the illnesses children go through I think is such a worthwhile cause,” said Brown.
This attitude meant that she jumped at the chance to ride a postie bike through the Kimberly for the eighth annual Bright Blue Gibb River Postie Bike Ride in 2019.
The postie bike ride through the Kimberley is run by Bright Blue – a children’s charity created by former Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan.
The ride helps to raise money for brain cancer research, helping child burn victims and generally putting smiles on the faces of sick children.
The ride involves navigating the Iconic Gibb River Road from Kununurra to Broome.
It’s no easy task as the road is a combination of bitumen, sand and rocks as well you need to cross creeks on what Brown describes as a “glorified moped”.
Despite the tough conditions she believes that the ride is a great way to raise money and plans to take a family camping trip after the race.
The aim is for each rider to raise $5000 through personal fundraising efforts on everydayhero.com.
Bright Blue’s Fundraising Manager Yoon-Mi Kim has seen the ride grow in terms of numbers and fundraising.
“Last year was our most successful year and as we have gone on it’s getting better and better,” said Kim.
Brown has raised nearly $1300 so far and has until the ride starts in June next year to hit her target.