HMRI’s Head of Marketing and Communications Mike Collins has turned his annual Hill to Harbour run into a mythologically-inspired feat, with the Sisyphus Challenge seeing him add a kilogram of rocks to his backpack for every $100 raised.
Mike, who has completed the Hill to Harbour several times, decided this year’s effort needed to go beyond a standard fundraising appeal. Unlike his Greek namesake who was condemned to push a boulder uphill for eternity, Mike’s boulder-carrying will only last 12 kilometers – though with the way donations are rolling in, it might feel eternal.
So far the response has been incredible, with one of Mike’s childhood mates recently donating $300, adding three kilos to his load in one go.
“I thought it was a mistake that he put an extra zero on 30, but no, his motivation was absolutely to see if he could break me over 12 Ks.”
That’s the kind of support that makes a real difference to HMRI’s work. As HMRI’s Head of Marketing and Communications, Mike sees every day how research funded by community donations transforms into discoveries that help families across the region.
Mike’s been creative with his Hill to Harbour fundraising before. Last year’s inflatable germ suit raised awareness for HMRI’s infection prevention research, which has achieved remarkable results including a 34% reduction in hospital-acquired infections.
“Doing the extra little bit is a really good way to get people interested in donating to a cause that they otherwise wouldn’t.”
Head of Marketing Mike Collins, who ran last year’s Hill to Harbour as a germ, and HMRI Director Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin in the Hill to Harbour singlet featuring artwork by Brett Piva.
The Sisyphus Challenge is contributing to Team HMRI’s bigger goal for this year’s Hill to Harbour: 100 people running together to raise $20,000 for medical research.
“People can get involved by going to the Hill to Harbour website and signing up for the two, six or 12 K run and joining team HMRI,” Mike says.
That $20,000 could fund crucial equipment, support researchers working on breakthrough discoveries, or help pilot studies that lead to major grants. It’s the kind of community backing that makes HMRI, Australia’s largest independent medical research institute, possible.
HMRI’s research spans cancer, brain health, mental health, children’s health, pregnancy, infection prevention and more. It’s work that touches every family in the Hunter at some point.
The Sisyphus Challenge captures something important about medical research itself. Unlike the Greek myth where Sisyphus pushes his boulder uphill forever with no progress, every dollar raised for HMRI actually moves research forward.
At current donations, Mike’s backpack is sitting at 10 kilograms. With the run just weeks away, there’s still time to add to that weight – and to the impact on life-saving research.
You can support Mike and life-saving medical research at HMRI by donating to his Sisyphus Challenge. Every donation funds the kind of research that changes lives in the Hunter and beyond.
Unlike Sisyphus, Mike only has to push uphill once. But the research his efforts support keeps moving forward long after race day.
The Hill to Harbour run is on 29 March, and Team HMRI is ready to roll. Want to be part of it? Join Team HMRI for the 2K, 6K or 12K and help us reach our $20,000 goal together.
