On Sunday, 18 December, Essence Project Director and all round nice guy Craig Sanders will embark on a road trip in a Mini destined for Uluru – the heart of Australia.
But the 14-day, 6000km journey is no ordinary Sunday drive; the 50-year-old Englishman has a purpose – he’s doing this to raise funds and encourage outdoor activity & well-being as part of cancer prevention for the Cancer Council. His goal: $100,000.
To promote wellness, Craig won’t just be driving; he’ll be stopping along the way to cycle, fish, run, walk, and surf – and sharing his story via Instagram and YouTube.
Sleeping is part of this proposition, and Sanders is aiming for about six hours a night mixed in with 45-minute power naps, on the ‘halo deck’, which is a fancy term for the car’s roof fitted with a sleeping & viewing platform.
When asked about his purpose, Craig said ‘On 18 October 2021, I woke up in the middle of the night and asked myself “what am I doing with my life?” My sister later told me that it was the day 13 years ago that my mother died from pancreatic cancer. I knew then that I wanted to do something that raised awareness about cancer prevention as cancer affects so many of us – I don’t think many people in the world can say they know of no one that’s had cancer.
Physical activity and regular exercise are associated with a reduced risk of many types of cancer and cancer reoccurrence, so I started thinking about a way to role model wellbeing to my family and the rest of Australia.’
You can follow Craig’s journey on Instagram and donate to his cause through the ‘Do it for Cancer’ initiative.
Craig’s ‘Drive to the Heart’ Itinerary
Depart Sunday, 18 December 2022
Day 1 – Sydney to Moss Vale to Marulan 52 km
Day 2 – Marulan to Bourke 768km
Day 3 – Bourke to Broken Hill 617km
Day 4 – Broken Hill to Port Pirie 394km
Day 5 – Port Pirie to Coober Pedy 631km
Day 6 – Coober Pedy to Uluru 734km
Day 7 – Uluru
Drive back to Sydney for roast turkey!
Over 6000kms in total.
