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Fuelling Hope

  • Fueling Hope-2025

      1 October 2025
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    It's been 8 years since donning my first island dress in 2017 and it never ceases to amaze me the generosity and support shown to me and the Family Care Centre.

    On the back of my latest miler in Naseby, Central Otago, I have been enjoying the opportunity to volunteer at running events, after receiving so much from the running community it's fantastic to be able to give back.

    Thus years donations have gone directly to the centre's medical and dental clinics in addition to MAT time, where vulnerable youth are mentored and supported by a team from the centre.

    Looking ahead, I'm hoping to give the Northburn100 km another crack as well as The Otipua 12 hour challenge, throwing in some day and overnight adventures.

    I'm excited this November be heading back to PNG, this time to Madang. Boarding the American ship YWAM Kona for the first time, and 4 years since my last outreach to PNG.

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  • Fuelling Hope - 2024

      10 October 2024
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    Since my last update, I had entered my first backyard event - a type of last person standing event, consisting of a 6.7km loop, starting on the hour every hour, until only one person remains. It was a unique experience with some fantastic conversations had over the course, along with some generous donations for the FCC, given along the way. Last month I was blessed with the opportunity to run round Mont Blanc and the Dolomites with friends, training at altitude, in all types of weather and terrain - with spectacular views of the Swiss alps, over 185km and 10,000m of elevation. So, in keeping with the theme of elevation and making good use of all the recent climbs, I hope clock up a bit of vert up at Mt Cargill (Crush the Cargill) in December over a 24hr period- an 8.5km loop with 500m of elevation - now that will be a challenge I think I will enjoy!!

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  • Fuelling Hope March 2024

      12 March 2024
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    2024 marks 7 years of training, adventures and running while continuing my fund raising effects for the Family Care Centre. This year I have new goals, supporting medical outreaches to the hard to access and more remote areas of Vanuatu and enjoying the Northburn 50km next week and my first backyard ultra in June. A couple of weeks ago I ran in the Old Ghost Ultra, a out and back rather than the usual point to point due to a predicted electrical storm. The event showcased all the beauty the west coast has to offer, with raging rivers, swing bridges, wild life and lush green native bush. My day was surrounded with kind people who enjoyed my consistant, easy pace, following behind, dropping off, speeding ahead and rejoining, cheered by the volunteers, having the opportunity to promote fuelinghope to captive audience on the FB life stream from Specimen Point. As the heavens opened and the trail became boggy, with a little tumble, I picked myself up returning to my familiar easy pace, with a burst of energy as I neared the finishing line where I was welcomed by 2 good friends, drenched to the skin, looking like a sogging rag doll but so appreciative of the privilege of being able to run the 85kms with beautiful people who too want to preserve and protect our trails for future generations to enjoy.

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  • Fuelling Hope October 2023

      3 October 2023
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    would love to share a snippet of my 3 week experience at the FCC & clinic.Vanuatu is a nation of approx 80 islands, 6 regional health centres,1 hospital & the FCC.Just to get some idea of the health provision in Vanuatu, their hospital has 1 ventilator, 2 ICU beds, 1 steriliser, 2 theatres and a A&E opened in 2014Every health service costs in Vanuatu, 6,000vt ($60) for maternity, 7500vt ($7.50)per night including emergency, medical or surgical, huge outlays for the average Nivan.The clinic at FCC, founded in 2015, has expanded with a second dental clinic in progress, a pharmacy, a room available for a laboratory.When patients present to the FCC they are triaged in & charged accordingly,1500 VT or about $1.25 NZ the same price as a bus ticket-giving all Ni-Van's exceptionally affordable health care(medical outreaches inland continue to be free)As a nonprofit organisation, the clinic depends upon outside support with utility bills like power, simular in what you would expect to pay in NZ! Some presenting complaints we see at the clinic is Yaws-painless bacterial ulcers belonging to the same family as syphilis, skin wounds(bleach baths are generally recommend to prevent wounds becoming infected)muscular ailments etc Skin diseases and presentations of leprosy are also treated at the clinic.The clinic may see any number of patients each day, but just as the physical is treated, Nivan culture valves the holistic aspect of their well being therefore appointments are never rushed

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  • Fuelling Hope 2023

      28 March 2023
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    Its been five weeks since my Tarawera miler (160km), and so, with a little down time on the eve of the Northburn 100, I have a challenge of a different sort.

    Where Tarawera had the distance, the Northburn has the elevation, proudly boasting 4,000 metres over 60km, that's mt cook and some.

    I'm so grateful for the generous donations made over the past year with over $1000 gifted for my Tarawera event.

    All at the Family Care Centre greatly appreciate your donations, with funds used for medical supplies and resources. With the recent cyclones to collide with Vanuatu causing superficial damage to the centre, donations received will also greatly assist in the centres repairs.

    At the time when Cyclone Judy and Kevin impacted the Teouma Valley, 120 locals from the Nivan community sort refuge at the centre. There, they were provided with food and shelter.

    This June I am super excited to be utilising my nursing skills, supporting the staff at the FCC and serving the Nivan community for 3 weeks.

    This will be my first opportunity to volunteer at the centre unlike previous years where I have volunteered on the YWAM medical ships.

    Volunteering at the centre will bless me with a wonderful opportunity to see first hand the dental clinic, steriliser and other supply's and resources your donations have contributed towards .

    While in Vanuatu, I will ensure that I make regular updates on my Fuelling Hope FB pg for you all to see.

    My time at the FCC wouldn't be possible without the generous support from the College of Emergency Nurses (CENNZ), who graciously awarded me a South Pacific Nurses grant of $1,000. This has greatly assisted me with my accommodation and travel costs.

    As for the rest of the year and where my running journey may take me - maybe partaking in a nation wide elevation challenge and a some adventure training that incudes utilising my navigation skills.

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  • Fuelling Hope 2022

      12 July 2022
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    Running, training and races have taken a new direction with many events cancelled due to Covid restrictions. However, where some doors have temporary closed, new opportunities have presented themselves, sharing in some running and fast packing adventures with friends and family - staying overnight in huts, bivys and even a night out under the stars.

    Not one to have training put to waste (with the cancellation of the Tarawera 160km and Northburn 100km until 2023), I took the time available to complete a loop of the Queen Charlotte Sounds, running from my unit to Picton, then from Cooks landing back through Anakiwa, to return to my unit.

    Considering a difficult year all round, everyone has continued to be super generous answering the call for much needed equipment including the purchase of a dental and medical sterilizer (to replace the electric frying pan), hydrolic repairs for the center's dental chair and recent the purchases of Blood Pressure cuffs and wound care supplies - none of this would be possible without the display of kindness shown by you to the people of Vanuatu where lives have been positively impacted.

    On a side note Mel (Mel is the primary nurse at the Family Care Centre), and the Ni-Van community have gifted me a new dress to run in, made to size, to alternate with my original dress.

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  • Fueling hope 2021

      30 July 2021
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    2020-2021 has been a particularly eventful year, feeling particularly blessed for the opportunity to compete in events that wouldn't be possible else where in the world. Unfortunately with the boarders closed, overseas medical outreaches have been placed on hold, however my hope is the boarder to Vanuatu will be open soon that I maybe able to volunteer as a nurse at the Family Care Center. My primary focus for my fund raising effects has been set on a sterilizing system for the Family Care Center where currently a electric frying pan is used to sterilize dental and medical equipment. Generally a new sterilizer costs $12,000 or second hand $6,000 to $8,000. This past year approx.$4,500 has been generously donated to Fueling Hope including regular donors. I have had plenty of adventures and new experiences including cross country, fast packing the Old Ghost and Heaphy (next month), running some stunning NZ trails including the Routeburn, Northburn station and in October Taupo Ultra gearing up in preparation for my first miler in February. Thank you so much for your continual support which is always so appreciated.

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  • Fuelling Hope 2021

      15 February 2021
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    2020-2021 has been a particularly eventful year, feeling especially blessed for the opportunity to continue running in events. While sporting events throughout the world have been cancelled, the medical outreaches within the South Pacific have been affected also. However this has not hampered my fund raising effects with my primary focus set upon a sterilizer for the Vanuatu Family Care Center - currently an electric frying pan is being used to sterilize their dental and medical equipment.

    I'm writing this Fuelling Hope update while flying home on the back of competing in the Tarawera Ultra Marathon, 102km event, while taking me just over 16 and a half hours, it gave me plenty of opportunities to think about my "why" to my running adventures and those my running effects benefit, motivating me to do my best for my South Pacific neighbors.

    Building up to up the Tarawera I competed in the 33km Able Tasman Classic, a piece of stunning New Zealand coastal trail and the 53km Crater Rim, uniquely beautiful but challenging with its steep and technical terrain. This April I plan to run the 85km Old Ghost trail on the west coast with friends and the Routeburn in the beautiful Fiordland along with a 50km Taupo Ultra in October.

    My sincere gratitude and appreciation for your continual support. You can also follow me on my Fueling Hope FB page for further updates.

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  • Fuelling Hope

      22 July 2020
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    2019 ended with a hiss and a roar, returning from a three week medical outreach in the providence of Oro, PNG, then entering and competing in some stunning back yard events including the Crater Rim 30km and The Blue Lake 24hr Challenge. To say the 24hr Blue Lake Challenge was a stretched would be an understatement, experiencing the highs and lows of running throughout the night, managing the waves of nausea that accompanied me and the discomfort of calf cramps. However I hobbled my way over the line completing over a 120km, the furthest thus far in a single event. With The Blue Lake Challenge under my belt, I thought it would lead me in good standing for the Tarawera 102km in February 2020 but unfortunately it wasn’t to be with a back injury 5 days before the event. Further cancellations of the Route burn for the second year in a row and other organised events due to the covid-19 have not put a damper to my fund raising effects for Vanuatu’s Family Care Centre where people have continued to give generously donating over $4,000 in the last six months alone. Therefore, this has enabled the Care Center to build a new dental suite providing affordable dental care to all Ni-Vans. In the coming months I plan to run the Able Tasman, a 33km run in October and Bolder Bay classic in the lead up to the 102km Tarawera Ultra Marathon in Febrary 2021. Thank you again for your ongoing and generous support.

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  • Fuelling Hope

      29 November 2019

    Thank you so much for your ongoing support over the last 3 years while I continue to fund raise for Marine Reach and the Family Care Centre in Port Villa - A inexpensive medical, dental, midwifery clinic and training centre. From running my first race, the Tarawera 50km in 2017, continuing throughout 2019 with my fund raising entering and racing events including the 20km Oparara Wildness Trail Race in the beautiful Kahurangi National park, Blue Lakes 24hr Challenge, 30km Crater Rim Challenge and the 60km Kepler - all while wearing a traditional island (Aelan) dress. For 2020 I hope to challenge myself a tad more by running the Tarawera's 102km trail race in Febuary and the Routeburn in the beautiful Fiordland. Recently I have returned from Papua New Guinea, volunteering with the Primary Health Team with YWAM/Marine Reach, organizations whose ships offer free medical /dentistry /ophthalmology services to the isolated communities of the South Pacific - where dentists, doctors, nurses, OTs and physios and ophthalmologists, volunteer their time,providing care and medical assistance.

    Read 3 more updates

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  • Fuelling Hope

      24 April 2019
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    Thank you so much for your ongoing support over the last 2 years while I continue to fund raise for Marine Reach and the Family Care Centre in Port Villa - Vanuatu's first free medical, dental and training centre. From running my first race, the Tarawera 50km in 2017, continuing throughout 2018 with my fund raising entering and racing events including the 20km Oparara Wildness Trail Race in the beautiful Kahurangi National park, 26km Captain Cooks Landing in the Queen Charlotte Sounds and the 60km Kepler - all while wearing a traditional island (Aelan) dress. For 2019 I hope to challenge myself a tad more by running the Blue Lake 24hr Challenge, Crater Rim 53km and the Routeburn in the beautiful Fiordland. This November I plan to return to Papua New Guinea, volunteering with YWAM/Marine Reach, organizations whose ships offer free medical /dentistry /ophthalmology services to the isolated communities of the South Pacific - where dentists, doctors, nurses, OTs and physios and ophthalmologists, volunteer their time,providing care and medical assistance.

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  • Fuelling Hope

      29 December 2018
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    Thank you so much for supporting me throughout my training leading up to, and the day of, Tarawera's, 50km ultra-marathon November 2017 and the 12 days of Christmas virtual charity run - running 200km over 12 days. 2018 was been exciting year with over $4,500 in cash and on-line donations. Continuing on throughout 2018 I have ran some of the most stunning trails NZ has to offer including the Oparara Wilderness Trail, Crater Rim 21km, Rotorua SUFFER and 60km Kepler challenge-all have been incredibly supportive to the cause while wearing my traditional island (Aelan) dress, which always creates plenty of conversation. All donations receive go to support Marine Reach, a organization whose medical ships and Family Care Center in Port Vila, offer free medical, dentistry and ophthalmology services to the Ni-Van people of Vanuatu.

    The YWAM Marine Reach medical ships (including the"Pacific Hope") also aims to assist the isolated and coastal communities of the South Pacific as well as those in PNG and further afield - where volunteer dentists, doctors, nurses, OTs and physios and ophthalmologists, provide essential healthcare and medical assistance

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  • Fuelling Hope

      19 July 2018
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    Thank you so much for supporting me throughout my training leading up to, and the day of, Tarawera's, 50km ultra-marathon November 2017 and the 12 days of Christmas virtual charity run - running 200km over 12 days. My fund raising effects for 2018 has had some fantastic support with over $4000 in donations including those from my give-a-little page - $1000 of which I was able to donate to the Family Care Center in Port Vila, Vanuatu, where local Ni-Vans have the opportunity to free medical care as well as a safe house for women and children who are exposed to violence. This years funding raising effects started with entering some awesome local races including the 17km Arrowsmith mountain race with 1182 total elevation and the 20km Oparara Wildness Trail Race in the beautiful Kahurangi National park. Shortly after competing in my next race, the 26km Captain Cooks Landing in the Queen Charlotte Sounds, I will be setting out on my next medical outreach to Lae, PNG, returning later in the year to compete in the 60km Kepler as my main fund raiser for 2018 - all while wearing a traditional island (Aelan) dress. Marine Reach are a organization whose ships serve the isolated and coastle communities of the South Pacific as well as those in PNG and Panama - where volunteer dentists, doctors, nurses, OTs and physios and ophthalmologists, provide free medical care and assistance.

    "Pacific Hope" is one of Marine Reaches medical ships that transports crew and medical staff to the isolated communities of the South Pacific and now is supporting the communities of Panama after the latest devastating cyclone. Fuel is the greatest expense and with funds I hope to raise will enable Marine Reach the opportunity to help communities in the South Pacific and further afield.

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  • Fuelling Hope

      21 March 2018

    Thank you so much for supporting me throughout my training leading up to, and the day of, Tarawera's, 50km ultra-marathon November 2017 and the 12 days of Christmas virtual charity run - running 200km over 12 days. 2018 was been exciting year with over $4,500 in cash and on-line donations. Continuing on throughout 2018 I have ran some of the most stunning trails NZ has to offer including the Oparara Wilderness Trail, Crater Rim 21km, Rotorua SUFFER and 60km Kepler challenge-all have been incredibly supportive to the cause while wearing my traditional island (Aelan) dress, which always creates plenty of conversation. All donations receive go to support Marine Reach, a organization whose medical ships and Family Care Center in Port Vila, offer free medical, dentistry and ophthalmology services to the Ni-Van people of Vanuatu.

    The YWAM Marine Reach medical ships (including the"Pacific Hope") also aims to assist the isolated and coastal communities of the South Pacific as well as those in PNG and further afield - where volunteer dentists, doctors, nurses, OTs and physios and ophthalmologists, provide essential healthcare and medical assistance

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