John Swainston
- National: 34th
- State: 15th in NSW
I'm Riding For
Philo
Someone who has got through an amazing decade of treatment and through it found her voice in written words.
My Story
This October, I am taking part in the Great Cycle Challenge to fight kids' cancer!
I am afraid it was 2013 when I last rode in the Great Cycle Challenge. 204km and A$5,091 raised from around the world from some very generous folk. I even ended up being the 3rd biggest fundraiser in NSW and 13th nationally. In the meantime I've lost far too many friends from cancer, including children of dear friends.
Right now, cancer is the largest single killer of children from disease in Australia – over 700 children are diagnosed with cancer every year and sadly, 3 die every week. Kids should be living life, not fighting for it.
And so, I am riding and raising funds to support the Children's Medical Research Institute to continue their work into the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and finding a cure for childhood cancer.
I am lucky enough to have arrived at 76 years of age. Giving back is the least I can do, given good health. Please support my challenge by making a donation through my fundraising page to give these kids the brighter futures they deserve.
Together, we can save little lives.
Thanks for your support. It means a lot.
My Legacy
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205 km Ridden$5,091 Raised2013
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300 km Ridden$6,995 Raised2025
My Challenge
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35.8 km ride - Longest ride: Rain ahead for the final week - Saturday, October 25, 2025
Logged this ride 2 days ago -
24.2 km ride - To less than 100km left! Ride 12 - Friday, October 24, 2025
Logged this ride 2 days ago -
Into the final week- 6 more rides
23 Oct 2025Thursday 23rd October provided a second day of matching funds up to $80,000. Thanks to the generosity of yesterday’s donors and the proportionate share of the $80,000, (because it was oversubscribed, which is terrific,) I was able to add some $900. I also clocked up another 15km after a long working day of commercial photography for a valued client.
Until yesterday My goal was $6,000. Well we are now at $6,500+. And I have ridden 2/3 of my target 360km.
So in the 8 days and likely 6 rides left I am trying to add an extra $500 and ride 120 more kilometres.
To my wonderful supporters, a massive thank you. What the more than $2M in funds raised nationally mean for child cancer research won’t be known immediately. But what is certain is that the funding will raise the chances of new courses of intervention to improve outcomes. Your contribution gives more children the chance to grow up to become healthy adults and lead full lives. No child should have to fight for life. That’s why I, at 76, am now focused on that final 120km in 8 days and hopefully achieve that raised bar of $500 more. If you’ve read this far, you are deeply valued. Thank you. And A huge shout out to Marjo Hallowell from Bargo, NSW whose efforts inspired me to start back on the bike this year in the GCC, and who, with family members and her various community supporters, have raised a whopping $46,000 this year in this initiative.
https://greatcyclechallenge.com.au/Riders/JohnSwainston1
Posted 3 days ago -
15.4 km ride - Ride 11 East Bowral - Thursday, October 23, 2025
Logged this ride 3 days ago -
15.8 km ride - Tuesday. Bicentennial Park ride 10 - Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Logged this ride 5 days ago -
22.4 km ride - Ride 9 : Monday return to the ride - Monday, October 20, 2025
Logged this ride 6 days ago -
33.7 km ride - Wednesday. Ride 8 - Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Logged this ride 11 days ago -
20.6 km ride - Ride 7, Monday, App did not register. - Monday, October 13, 2025
From Bong bong common to Same
Logged this ride 13 days ago -
Some days it's hard - RIDE 6
12 Oct 2025I've had a minor bit of man flu, the past three days. Gravelly throat and needing the odd Panadol. The winds been up and I have fallen behind my ride goal. This morning I still didn't feel much like going for a ride. But, after finally getting more than 7 hours sleep, still feeling generally below par, I decided to get back on the bike. I had to get my skates on. Winds were forecast to reach 55km in early afternoon and rain forecast with possible storm activity. In fact they gusted over 80km/hr at 2.00pm, by which time I was safely home again.
What drove me out? Well, however off I felt, it's simply nothing compared with what a child goes through when diagnosed with a cancer prognosis. And that's what we are all riding for this month. To help the Children's Medical Research Institute (of Australia) continue their important work, hopefully with strengthened resources as a result of the thousands of riders out there raising money this month.
And I'll have to get two more rides of 30kms done before Tuesday night this week, so I remain on track to achieve my 360km riding goal for the month. Just a little bit more gumption than I felt like. But imagine a world where we get to cure even more kids of cancer, so they, like the fortunate me, can live long, productive lives too? Worth doing, isn't it?
Posted 14 days ago -
30.7 km ride - RIDE 6 - Against The Wind - Sunday, October 12, 2025
Logged this ride 14 days ago
My Sponsors
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christoph mueller
$1,062.95Received this donation 21 days ago
John
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Kick Cancer's Butt Day Matching Donation
$521.06Received this donation 18 days ago
John
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Great work John for a fantastic cause from the team at APTECH
$414Received this donation 3 days ago
John
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Match Day Matching Donation
$295.18Received this donation 3 days ago
John
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Michel Halbwachs
$274.28Received this donation 14 days ago
John
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Ann-Marie Paterson
$124.20Received this donation 38 days ago
John
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ANTHONY BROWELL
$124.20Received this donation 27 days ago
John
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des crawley
$124.20Received this donation 18 days ago
John
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Garricks Camera House
$124.20Received this donation 37 days ago
John
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James Murray
$124.20Received this donation 3 days ago
John
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Philomena ONeil
$124.20Received this donation 38 days ago
John
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Raymond Khoury
$124.20Received this donation 19 days ago
John
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Simon Pockley
$124.20Received this donation 32 days ago
John
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Damian Leonard
$103.50Received this donation 42 days ago
John
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Duncan Dodd
$103.50Received this donation 42 days ago
John
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John and Eliza Corley
$103.50Received this donation 37 days ago
John
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Rick Stevens
$103.50Received this donation 35 days ago
John
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William McCurry
$103.50Received this donation 35 days ago
John
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Adam Wilson
$72.45Received this donation 37 days ago
John
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Barbara Seager
$72.45Received this donation 3 days ago
John