On 19 September 2026, I'll be taking on the Sydney Backyard Ultra to raise funds for PIC's Aftercare Program.

The Backyard Ultra is unlike any other running event. Runners complete a 6.7km loop (a yard) on the hour, every hour, until only one person remains. There is no predetermined finish line. No one knows how far they will go when they start. The challenge is simply to keep showing up and run one more yard.

For me, that feels a lot like the journey faced by many young people leaving care.

When a young person turns 18, the formal systems of care often come to an end. Yet turning 18 doesn't magically make life easier. Young people are still navigating housing, education, employment, relationships, health, and all the ups and downs that come through adulthood.

Most young Australians don't do that alone. They have parents, family and trusted adults they can call when life gets hard.

Young people leaving care don't have that same safety net, and they are suffering as a result:

1 in 3 young people leaving care experience homelessness within their first year.
More than half experience homelessness within four years.
One in four become involved in the justice system after leaving care

At PIC, we believe that relationships matter. We know that young people do best when there are caring adults who keep showing up, stay connected, and walk alongside them through life's challenges. While PIC works hard to maintain those relationships beyond 18, there is no funding to do so. PIC's aftercare funding helps bridge that gap, providing practical support, connection, and continuity when young people need it most.

One of the things that makes a Backyard Ultra possible is the support crew. Between every lap, runners return to their crew for encouragement, food, water, and whatever they need to get back out there again. No one succeeds on grit alone.

Young people leaving care deserve that same support.

This fundraiser is about making sure that when life gets tough, young people aren't asked to simply push through on their own. It's about helping PIC stay connected, provide practical assistance, and continue offering the trusted relationships that make such a difference.

My goal is to complete somewhere between 15 laps (100km) and 24 laps (160km).

If you'd like to get involved, consider donating $2 for every lap you think I can complete.

Every dollar raised will go towards supporting young people after they leave care, helping ensure they have someone in their corner when they need it most.

Thank you for backing me, and more importantly, for backing young people as they take their next steps into adulthood.

Let's help them keep going, one more yard at a time. ❤