World record attempt for cancer research

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They will lay it all on the line as a Guinness World Record attempt is set to raise much-needed funds for childhood cancer research.

Australian Lions, alongside Elermore Vale Lions Club, has planned for 5-cent pieces to be placed inside Newcastle Entertainment Centre this Saturday 16 March.

The world record in its sights – the Longest Coin Line – stands at 75.24 kilometres and was made, according to the Guinness World Records, in Austria in December 2011.

Organisers estimate about $200,000 would be required to break the record.

Elermore Vale Lions Club member, Garry Patten, says the attempt will be a “huge win” in the bid to increase survival rates and improve treatment options for children affected by cancer.

“We’ve not got anywhere near the funds to break the record,” he tells Newcastle Weekly.

“However, this is our first attempt – we’ve been planning for three months and it has really increased our learning curve.

“Although we won’t beat [it], whatever we raise is going to childhood cancer research, so we consider it a huge win because it’s going to a great cause.

“A lot of the money has come from schools running their own mini coin lines, and they then give the funds to their local Lions clubs, which pass it on to us.”

Mr Patten adds Hunter Valley Grammar School, Merewether High School, Mount View High School and Newcastle High School will take part in the world record attempt.

Each year, more than 950 kids are diagnosed with cancer in Australia, while almost three young lives are lost every week.

The Australian Lions Childhood Research Foundation has raised about $10 million over the past four decades and funded 10 major research projects in the past seven years alone.

One of these is the $4 million Lions Kids Cancer Genome Project – a three-year whole genome sequencing and analysis for 400 children with high-risk cancer in Australia.

The trial aims to develop personalised cancer treatment by integrating genetic information with other biological and clinical data.

It also identifies genetic changes to each child’s DNA that might predispose to cancer, helping to build a database of genetic risk factors, which may assist with prevention and treatment strategies.

Australian Lions Childhood Research Foundation District Chair, Kate Moore, says it is on a mission to give every child a chance at a healthy life.

“We’re about $300,000 short of what we need to complete the project – I’ve always wanted to do a Guinness World Record attempt and I thought this was a good way to raise more funds,” she says.
“I went to Elermore Vale Lions Club as they are the coin line specialists, they’ve been doing it for about 15 years and donated around $60,000 in that time.

“So, they have a record of doing these sorts of things.”

The Longest Coin Line attempt will be open to the public from 9am until 5pm.

Email [email protected] if you’d like to get involved in the event.

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