On a cool, slightly breezy October morning 37,185 participants took to the streets of Melbourne to take part in the 42nd Melbourne Marathon. Amongst them were Kaitlyn and Leo Enter alongside Kaitlyn’s cousin Kristen Handreck, raising funds for The Melanie Jewson Foundation. We were astonished by the results of their efforts. With the generous support of their family and friends, the trio were able to raise their goal of $4,219.50 — that’s a stellar $100 for every kilometre they ran. Melanie was Kaitlyn and Kristen’s second cousin, so to them, it made great sense to get involved with the MJF. “It has been an honour to raise money for such an inspirational foundation and to actually reach the goal we were hoping for,” reflects Kristen. Inspired by both her love of running and a good challenge, Kristen met the significant trials of the marathon head-on. “The whole experience was amazing and knowing that there was a finish line and conquering 42.2km is what got me through.” “It was an absolute honour to be able to run for such a great cause and raise so much money. We were all very very impressed with the amount raised and are so blessed to have had so many generous people helping this foundation.” As might be expected, it was the training that proved to be one of the most challenging yet satisfying parts of the entire experience. Kristen found the pre-training to be more difficult than the actual marathon. For Leo on the other hand, it was somewhat different. “The training is my favourite part of the whole experience. This year most of my training was with Kaitlyn which was a great way to spend quality time together.”

It has been an honour to raise money for such an inspirational foundation and to actually reach the goal we were hoping for.

Leo’s motivation to run in the event sits close to home. “My Dad inspired me to run my first marathon after he ran his first marathon in 2011 at the age of 57. We trained together and ran the Melbourne Marathon in 2012. This year it was Kaitlyn and Kristen who inspired me!” If you would like to fundraise for The Melanie Jewson Foundation by participating in a community event, why not get in touch? We can tailor our online donation system to suit your needs or you can raise funds through your chosen platform instead. Kaitlyn, Kristen and Leo, thank you for your extraordinary efforts. Not only did you manage a great personal achievement, you significantly helped us in our mission to advance health and education in Vanuatu in memory of our beloved Melanie. We couldn't be more thankful.