This year was the 21st anniversary of the Balmoral Burn – a gruelling race up Sydney’s steepest hill – and UNE alumnus Peter Ireland has completed every single, painful one of them.
“You can’t talk, you feel like you’re going to black out, but it’s worth each step because sick children and their families benefit directly from all the money raised,” he said.
Run by the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, the event began by supporting just one hospital but now provides equipment like humidifiers, jaundice detectors and resuscitation monitors to 500 facilities in support of sick children. This year’s event, which raised an impressive $1.25 million, was dedicated to provisioning children’s wards in regional hospitals.
And Peter was Sydney’s highest fundraiser ($8,500) and first across the line in his age group, in a time of 2 minutes and 15 seconds.
In the past, thanks to the generosity of his many sponsors – including quite a few fellow UNE graduates “prepared to put a few dollars on an old nag” – Peter has been able to provide lifesaving medical equipment to Armidale, Cooma and Sydney hospitals. This year, hospitals in Bathurst, Glen Innes and Wagga Wagga will be beneficiaries.
Peter completed a Bachelor of Arts and both a Diploma and Masters of Education at UNE from 1975-79 and received a UNE Community Award in 2020 in recognition of his fundraising efforts. The Humpty Dumpty Foundation, Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, Kids with Cancer Foundation and BlazeAid are the key charities he supports.
While the premature birth of his twin grandchildren Raffy and Daisy and the excellent care they received provides some personal motivation to tackle the gruelling Balmoral Burn, Peter is just as inspired by the heart-warming stories he hears from other families who have used equipment donated by Humpty Dumpty.
“If you have done well and experienced a lot in life, I think it’s incumbent upon you to send the elevator back down,” Peter said. “My father taught me that the happiest people are not those who are getting, but those who are giving.”
Bravo Peter!
Peter and his wife Annie being interviewed after the run.
