2019 is going to be a big year for a group of motorcyclists, who expect to top a milestone of raising $1 million for health services in the Far North, in October.
The annual Wayne Leonard’s Motorcycle Muster has been running since 2002 and has raised more than $955,000 in that time.
Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation CEO Tony Franz said he was confident $1 million would be achieved this year. This year’s Muster will be a journey to Mission Beach, raising funds for the endoscopy unit at Cairns Hospital. Sponsor Wayne Leonard said the milestone would be a wonderful achievement.
“When we started out, it was motivated to help the hospital because of what our son went through when he was born. Who would have thought, way back then, that we’d be sitting here today, on the verge of this milestone?” Mr Leonard said.
“In that time, hundreds of motorcyclists have taken part and we’ve been all over the place – Townsville, Undara, Cooktown, Magnetic Island, Mission Beach, it’s a wonderful weekend,” he said.
“I’m really delighted to be helping the Hospital Foundation’s endoscopy campaign this year. This equipment helps bring the endoscopy unit to tertiary status and means less people have to travel away for diagnosis and treatment. That’s what we all want for our health service,” he said.
This year’s adventure, Muster on a Mission, will depart from Cairns on October 19, travel through the Atherton Tablelands and arrive at Mission Beach for a celebration.
Mr Franz said the funds would go directly towards a balloon enteroscope – part of the Foundation’s “Show us ya guts” endoscopy campaign.
It diagnoses patients with small bowel bleeding spots, ulcers, polyps or tumours and costs $60, 000. “The Foundation has raised more than $280, 00 towards this equipment so we’re almost three quarters of the way towards our goal,” Mr Franz said.
Cairns Hospital director of medicine Dr Peter Boyd said he was thrilled with the Muster’s support.
“The Foundation are doing a great job ticking everything off that we’ve asked for, and we are really close to getting all the equipment to bring this unit to tertiary level,” Dr Boyd said.
“This equipment is a diagnostic and treating enteroscope with a balloon on the end. It allows most of the small intestine to be viewed, which is currently impossible with a normal endoscope,” Mr Franz said.
Registrations are open HERE.
Photo: Dr Peter Boyd and Wayne Leonard.
