The event starts at SkyCity Auckland tomorrow at 730 am
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Auckland, May 12, 2017
With just a day to go until the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge, 900 firefighters across the country have already raised a staggering $1 million for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.
The Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge will be held this Saturday May 13 with firefighters from New Zealand, Australia, USA, Chile and Croatia ascending the Sky Tower stairs while wearing full firefighting kit and breathing apparatus weighing up to 25kg.
Creative fundraisers
Firefighters across the country surpassed the $900,000 fundraising target with a range of creative fundraising ideas including Oamaru Volunteer Fire Brigade who held a Faulty Towers fundraising night, Kamo Volunteer Fire Brigade who held a Touch a Truck day and Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force who auctioned off a ride to school in a fire truck.
Maaka McKinney, an Auckland-based firefighter from West Harbour Volunteer Fire Brigade, has raised over $12,000 by putting his body on the line. Maaka has cycled the entire South Island and is currently walking up the North Island to Auckland.
As a former soldier, McKinney is also creating awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder. Maaka will reach Auckland the day of the climb and finish his journey by taking to the 1103 steps of the Sky Tower. He will be greeted with a haka in his honour at 10 am on the morning of the event and his brigade, West Harbour Volunteer Fire Brigade and many fellow firefighters he met on his three-week journey will be there to meet him.
Special Squad
There is also a special squad of non-firefighters competing in the event comprising well-known New Zealand celebrities, media personalities and LBC corporate supporters. Breakfast sports presenter Brodie Kane, the original Bachelor Art Green, Shortland Street star Pua Magasiva, and three members of SkyCity’s senior management team – Matt Ballesty, Glen McLatchie, Jonathan Browne are all part of the squad who have been busy training and fundraising to compete in the challenge. This squad races at 805 am.
The event officially starts at 730 am with a haka outside SkyCity to open the day before competitors take to the stairs until 2pm. The fastest competitors including Josh Harrison and William Garnett and Jacson Kluts will be setting off at 8am as part of Squad One.
Vital Service
The funds raised from the event go back into the community, by helping LBC continue to run their vital service supporting the six Kiwis diagnosed with a blood cancer or related condition every day. LBC receives no Government funding.
Pru Etcheverry, CEO of Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand says reaching one million dollars is a huge testament to the firefighters who devote so much of their own time to raising funds.
“We are always amazed by these firefighters at the lengths they go to in order to raise such huge amounts of money for us. We are also so thankful to the many communities throughout the country who support their local brigades so enthusiastically in their fundraising efforts.”
The event is sponsored by SKYCITY and Auckland Airport.
To find out how to support your local brigade visit www.firefightersclimb.org.nz
For media passes on the day please call Danae Short on 027 523 1725.
Numbers
• 51 flights of stairs; 1103 individual steps; At 328 metres, the Sky Tower is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere; Firefighters will wear up to 25kg of kit; 900 firefighters will race up the Sky Tower in 2017
Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand
Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC) is the national charity dedicated to supporting patients and their families living with blood cancers and related blood conditions. www.leukaemia.org.nz
LBC does not receive government funding – the dollars raised from the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge help fund our core services including patient support, support and funding for research, awareness and advocacy
To support a brigade visit: www.firefightersclimb.org.nz
Key facts about blood cancers
Every day, six New Zealanders are diagnosed with a blood cancer; that is about 2200 New Zealanders a year; The cause of blood cancers is unknown; These diseases can strike anyone, of any age, at any time, without warning; Immediate treatment may be necessary and that treatment can go on for months or even years.
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