What’s Happening?
The Ray White Yeppoon Cycling for a Cure team is preparing for Mater’s Brisbane to Gold Coast Cycle for Cancer. The group will ride 100 kilometres on Sunday, 23 August 2026, raising money for cancer research and care at Mater.
Ahead of the event, members visited Mater Rockhampton to meet staff and tour its oncology unit. The visit connected their fundraising with patients, treatment equipment and the people providing cancer care. Once in Brisbane, they will also meet professors and learn more about Mater’s cancer research.
Why It Matters?
Cancer has affected team members personally or through their families and friends, giving the campaign strong personal meaning. Although the team had two fewer fundraising months this year, Vicki Benson remained confident it could improve on last year’s result. “Our goal is $75,000. We made $76,000 last year and we want to smash it this year,” Benson said. She added that the team would “love to beat last year’s total”.
That confidence proved well placed, with the group passing its goal and last year’s result before the ride. However, Benson said visiting Mater Rockhampton was equally important because it showed where community support was going. “It makes it tangible for us just to see all this money that we raise,” she said. “People wonder, okay, where’s that money actually going to? It’s going directly to cancer. Every cent you donate goes directly to cancer.”
Meanwhile, the planned Brisbane visit will provide a closer look at the studies supported through Mater fundraising. Benson said the team would visit the research centre and meet the professors working there. “They’re showing us exactly what research they’re doing and where the money’s going,” she said.
Mater Rockhampton general manager Rebecca Loughnan described the riders’ enthusiasm and commitment as “infectious”. Having seen the benefits that community fundraising can provide, she welcomed the chance to meet the people behind the campaign. “It’s an excellent experience for me to meet them,” Loughnan said, referring to their support for patients, families and the community.
Local Impact
While the team’s core remains unchanged, several new riders have joined this year’s campaign. “The nucleus is the same, but we do have a few new riders,” Benson said. She added that partners and friends had joined from Brisbane, Bargara and Gladstone.
Three newcomers are from outside the immediate area, while several riders’ wives and partners have also joined. As a result, the team has widened its reach while retaining its strong Rockhampton and Yeppoon base.
Loughnan said the campaign represented both Mater and the wider Central Queensland community. “It’s not just representing Mater, it’s actually representing the community, and in such a positive way,” she said. She also recognised those giving their time because they cared about Mater and its patients.
Age and cycling experience have not prevented new members from contributing. Loughnan pointed to Mason’s independent fundraising and Judy’s recent return to cycling after many years away. “There’s clearly no barriers at all. It’s awesome,” she said.
By The Numbers
- The team has grown from 8 riders last year to 14 this year, with participants ranging from 13 to 63 years old.
- Fundraising stood at $65,000 during the interview. By 20 August, the official Mater leaderboard showed the team had reached $81,983, passing its $75,000 goal.
- After raising more than $76,000 last year, the team has now collected more than $157,000 across two campaigns.
Zoom In
During the hospital visit, Loughnan said the riders would see a busy oncology unit with staff working and patients receiving treatment. “They’ll see the actual direct benefits of their fundraising,” she said. She explained that the unit contained extensive equipment, which costs considerable money to maintain and replace. According to Loughnan, this equipment remains vital for patients receiving treatment at Mater Rockhampton.
In addition, Benson credited Ray White Yeppoon, David Bell and other local sponsors for supporting the team from the beginning. “Ray White backed us from the very beginning, and David Bell is just fantastic,” she said. “He gets behind us, he supports us and gives us everything we need to do this right.” Benson added that the team would not be in its current position without Ray White Yeppoon and its other sponsors.
However, Benson said donors were just as important as the riders completing the event. “To everyone who donates, we’re all a team,” she said. “We need you just as much as we need our riders. We’ll do the work, you do the donating.”
Zoom Out
The official event leaderboard ranks Ray White Yeppoon as its highest fundraising team. Its total is more than double the amount raised by the second-ranked group. “We are well and truly the highest fundraisers in this whole event,” Benson said. She added that the team was taking on larger groups and had invited them to match its fundraising result.
For Benson, the result also shows what a smaller regional community can achieve through local support. “If we can do this from a small community of Central Queensland, they can meet it too,” she said. The campaign has brought riders, businesses, sponsors and donors together across Rockhampton, Yeppoon and surrounding areas.
What To Look For Next?
Donations remain open through the team’s fundraising page before Sunday’s ride. Further support could extend its new fundraising record while directing more money towards Mater’s cancer work.
Once in Brisbane, the riders will meet researchers and hear how donations support their studies. Benson also confirmed that the group planned to return each year. “Absolutely. We are, every year,” she said, adding that the campaign would become “bigger and bigger every year”.
Loughnan may even join the cyclists after seeing Judy return to riding. “Maybe. If Judy can do it, I probably can,” she said. Although she would need to get a bicycle and start with a shorter ride, Loughnan said she might give it a go.
