It’s called the Smiling for Smiddy Challenge, but competitors may not be smiling for long.
The charity ride involves a grueling 1600km ride from Brisbane to Townsville.
Greensborough Hockey Club’s Paul DeMan is no stranger to a few hard yards on the field but taking on the Smiling for Smiddy Challenge in August is next level stuff.
This year, DeMan has taken on the Melbourne Full Ironman and the NICE Full Ironman in France.
“Apart from the craziness of trying to undertake these events, there is a serious side,” DeMan says.
“That is to raise funds for the Smiling for Smiddy Foundation in conjunction with the Mater Foundation in Brisbane for cancer research.”
So why put yourself through 1600km of quad crushing pain?
“The sad truth is cancer effects one in three men and one in four women before they’re 85 and you’re probably well aware of the devastating effects for individuals, families and friends of cancer [sufferers].
“Cancer has its own agenda and one of the worst things about it is you never know what’s coming next.”
The Smiling for Smiddy foundation is committed to improving the outcomes for people diagnosed with cancer with an end goal of finding cures, DeMan said.
Greensborough Hockey Club is holding a fund-raiser at Plenty Park on July 4 to as the Premier League men’s side takes on Southern United.
To donate
Visit www.smiddy.org.au, find the “donate” tab and go to donate to a participant and look for Paul DeMan.
