Tindal K's 4 Kids has now finished

20 Jun 2010 - 26 Jun 2010

Tindal K's 4 Kids has been set up as a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). The aim of Tindal K's 4 Kids is to create awareness of RMHC and more importantly generate financial support for RMHC. The event will involve a walk from RAAF Base Tindal to Darwin, a distance of around 330kms. The event has been initiated by Shannan and Aneeka Nichols, after the Nichols family spent time at Ronald McDonald House Westmead. Read more about their story, their goals for this walk and the work of RMHC below.

 

Tindal K's 4 Kids Itinerary (TBC)

Day 1 (57.3km)

Depart 6.30am Tindal

Arrive       9.30am McDonalds Katherine

Depart     10.00am McDonalds Katherine

Arrive  6.30pm Edith Falls Turn Off (Edith Falls Camp Ground)

Day 2 (47.3km)

Depart  6.30am Edith Falls Turn Off

Arrive 4.30pm Pine Creek (Lazy Lizard Caravan Park)

Day 3 (56.4km)

Depart 6.30am Pine Creek

Arrive 6.30pm Hayes Creek (Big 4 Hayes Creek)

Day 4 (57.3km)

Depart 6.30am  Hayes Creek

Arrive 6.30pm  Adelaide River (Adelaide River Inn Caravan Park)

Day 5 (51.4km)

Depart 6.30am Adelaide River

Arrive 5.30pm  Stuart Hwy Acacia Hill (Tumbling Waters Holiday Park)

Day 6 (39km)

Depart 7.00am Stuart Hwy Acacia Hill

Arrive 3.00pm McDonalds Palmerston (Free Spirit Resort)

Day 7 (21.5km)

Depart 8.00am  Free Spirit Resort

Arrive 12.30pm McDonalds Stuart Park  

Total Distance: 330km

 

The Walking Team

The Nichols Family (Shannan and Aneeka)

Freya Mason

Gianni Querin

Gary Donaldson

Jeremy Little and Pam Franklin

Jennifer Watts

Nic Brindell

Adrian Phillips and Sophie Needham

Toby Nuske

Sarah Earle

Tania Dean

Willem Westra Van Holthe

Trudi Burn

Terry Mills

 

The Support Team 

Noel and Jane Cowling

Heather Querin

Sam McMurrugh

Dave Crummy

Alex Jess

Emer Fahey

Sue Barrington

 

About the Nichols Family

Shannan and Aneeka Nichols have two children; a son Zethan who is 2½ and a daughter Eleora who is currently 13 months old. Since her birth Eleora has had ongoing health concerns. Just weeks after birth she was diagnosed with Laryngomalacia; this condition caused ongoing problems with feeding and respiratory illness and has caused her to spend much of her 1^st year of life in and out of hospitals. 

In 2009 Shannan and Aneeka decided to move from their home in the Hunter Region, NSW so that Shannan could take up a posting to the Tindal RAAF base near Katherine, NT in January 2010 for a period of 3 years.

They had no sooner moved into their residence in Katherine when in late January 2010 Eleora suffered a number of serious choking incidents where she stopped breathing and then a serious bout of pneumonia. This caused Ele to be transferred by air ambulance to Royal Darwin Hospital for treatment. After initial tests were carried out on Ele, parents were advised to take Eleora back to Newcastle to see a paediatric cardiologist for further testing. The cardiologist was able to confirm the diagnosis of a Double Aortic Arch and referred Eleora to Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney for cardiac surgery. 

Shannan, Aneeka and Zethan were unable to return to the Katherine region until Eleora was able to return by air and continue to live at home without ongoing hospitalisation. This entailed the family spending many weeks away from home and some of this time as residents in Ronald McDonald House Westmead.

On 16th April, Ele and her family were able to return to Tindal and she is continuing to recover.  Of course Ele is still required to have constant medical supervision of her condition but the family is now settling back into their new home and the Katherine community.  Shannan and Aneeka now wish to help make a difference for other families with sick children and those who need to spend time away from their home and loved ones.

 

Goal for Tindal K's 4 Kids

 

Ronald McDonald House Charities has various forms of accommodation, family rooms and support around Australia however nothing is currently available within the Northern Territory.

Shannan and Aneeka have spent a bit of time recently in the children's ward at the Royal Darwin Hospital and as a result have recognized that the support of Ronald McDonald House Charities could make a huge difference to parents and families of sick kids across Northern Territory.

Shannan and Aneeka in association with RAAF Base Tindal and with assistance from family, friends and the Katherine community aim to create awareness of the RMHC and more importantly generate financial support for RMHC. RMHC wants to expand its services to the territory and funds raised from this event will help them do so.  Shannan and Aneeka are very commited to seeing RMHC programs help seriously ill children and their families in the Northern Territory. 

 

About Ronald McDonald House Charities