Living The Green team members Leigh and Laura Caulfield, foreground, have completed every Bloody Long Walk in Victoria.
Thousands of Mornington Peninsula residents stepped out on October 16 to take part in the Bloody Long Walk, a 35km walk to raise money for the Mito Foundation as it searches for a cure for mitochondrial disease – a debilitating, potentially fatal genetic disorder that robs the body’s cells of the energy they need to function properly.
The walk kicked off at Point Nepean National Park and followed the postcard-worthy views to Sorrento before looping through to finish at Martha Cove Marina. Participants walked for more than seven hours, clocking up nearly 47,000 steps and raising nearly $370,000, with one team bringing in more than $40,000 alone.
Peninsula walker David Valastro completed the 35km course in 3 hours and 28 minutes.
Peninsula resident David Valastro completed the course in three hours and 28 minutes. Also taking part were Victorian parents Leigh and Laura Caulfield, who have completed every Bloody Long Walk in Victoria, including virtually during COVID restrictions. “Before our son Tyler was unexpectedly diagnosed with mitochondrial disease in 2020, Laura and I had never heard of the disease,” Leigh said. “This year was our fifth walk, and we were extremely lucky to have great family, friends, teachers and colleagues throwing their support behind us. It’s hard to put into words how much the Mito Foundation means to us. The work they do in raising awareness, supporting families, and most importantly searching for a cure is just amazing.”
Mito Foundation CEO Sean Murray said the event is part of a nationwide initiative supporting families affected by the disease. “We were very excited to bring the Bloody Long Walk to the Mornington Peninsula for the second time,” Sean said. “The truth is every week in Australia one child will be born who will develop a life-threatening form of mito – that’s 50 Aussie kids a year. Sadly, most children diagnosed with a serious form of mito die in the first five years of their life, yet most people have no idea the disease even exists. All money raised will help us deliver support services for patients and families facing this debilitating disease, while providing hope for the future by funding promising research projects.”
This year, walkers had an extra spring in their step after the Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 passed through the Senate in March. The legislation will allow Australian families with certain forms of mito to access mitochondrial donation, an IVF technique, to have healthy children of their own. An estimated one in 200 people, or 120,000 Australians, may carry the genetic change that puts them at risk of developing mito or passing it on to their children.
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