Like Q&A – a death knell for which has also been sounded – innovative evening news broadcast The Project was good except when it wasn’t.
The two programmes are ending in days – Q&A after 18 years and a seasonal hiatus on Hugh Marks’ ABC and, and Ten’s The Project on June 27 after almost 16 years – and will be missed for their different approaches to news and current affairs, and The Project for initial presenter Carrie Bickmore for what she managed to achieve through it.
Appropriately, Bickmore’s pledge – “to see a future where no family has to lose someone they love to brain cancer” – was met with a new high point this weekend, although we’d stress that the fundraiser is not suffering the same fate as the TV programme.
Launched on The Project, CB4BC, or Carrie’s beanies for brain cancer was racing through the South African bush last Saturday, helping bring donations to the cause to more than $.1.1 million, added to the more than $25 million already raised by CB4BC for research through The Brain Cancer Centre. Bickmore and romantic partner Tommy Little alone are reported to have raised almost $200,000.
Also supporting CB4BC was major partner La Roche Posay, while Puma backed the team with a donation and team kit.
Here’s a couple of pictures from the Big 5 Marathon, which raced through the wild to raise funds for brain cancer research.
Bickmore said she was “so proud” of all the team that went to Africa and did the Big 5 Marathon. “It was an incredible effort not just with the run, but also with their commitment to training and amazing fundraising blew us away.
“We all did it pretty tough in the run due to the extreme conditions but it’s nowhere near as tough as what brain cancer patients and their families have to go through. Supporting them is what helped us all get across the finish line.
If you want to help personally, the website is here.
Peter Coleman