Donna Pottinger is an ex-student of ours who completed a fitness course with Onfit Training College. Her passion for being fit and helping others has led her on the path to making a difference in the lives of seriously ill children. Ms Pottinger, from Toowoomba Queensland signed up to complete one of the toughest climbs in the world, the climb to Everest Base Camp in a bid to raise funds for the Starlight Children’s foundation.
What: Climb to Everest Base Camp
When: April 2014
Target: $6000
Current total: $2,656.40
Ms Pottinger has already hiked her way through the trails leading to Machu Picchu and most recently completed a mountain biking experience at the base of the Flinders Ranges. To date she has raised $2,656.40 and counting… “the generosity of people still never ceases to amaze me… if I touch one person, or create just a little awareness, my job is done” she writes.
But while she’s worked hard in all her challenges she’s not about to start taking it easy. If anything the generous support seems to fuel her motivation; “[we] set off for our first ride, to a place called Boorawa. The ride was 65km, the furthest I’ve done in one trip… the terrain was often dirt and gravel, so that was a real challenge as well”.
In the coming year, Donna hopes to launch a fundraiser with body art to get the public’s attention.
Donna is still in regular correspondence with us here at Onfit and we’re incredibly proud of her achievements. We will continue to support her and other students who use their passion for fitness to help others and make the world a better place. You can keep up with Donna’s progress, find out more about upcoming fundraising events and of course donate by visiting: www.everydayhero.com.au/donna_pottinger
More about the Starlight Children’s Foundation
The Starlight Children’s Foundation transforms the experience of hospitalisation and treatment for seriously ill children and their families- Starlight is the only children’s charity with a permanent, physical presence in very major paediatric hospital in the country.
Every minute of every day a child is admitted to hospital in Australia. For thousands of these children what happens next is the diagnosis of a serious or chronic illness that changes their life, and the lives of their families, forever.
This is where Starlight steps in – delivering a range of innovative programs, built on the World Health Organisation’s social model of health, to support the well-being and resilience of these seriously ill children and their families.
Starlight programs are integral to the total care of seriously ill children – while the health professionals focus on treating the illness, Starlight is there to lift the spirits of the child – giving them the opportunity to laugh and play and be a child again.
For more information on Starlight, visit www.starlight.org.au or call 1300 727 827.
