The Tribune

ATTRACTING more than 300 preschoolers and toddlers and raising $12,818.30, the 2012 staging of the St Jude's Children's Research Hospital Trike-A-Thon on January 27 in Sandyport is being hailed as a tremendous success. A St Jude Hospital tradition for more than 25 years, the Trike-A-Thon is a fun, week-long curriculum for daycare centres and pre-schools, designed to raise funds, get the public involved and raise awareness through interactive activities. Children learn riding-toy safety lessons through a series of interactive stories from special characters, Bikewell Bear and Pedals the Bunny. The Sandals Foundation sponsored Bahamas Trike-A-Thon was first held in 2011 raising more than $13,000, which has placed the event in the top five ranked trike-a-thons world-wide. An added component to this year's event saw the Lyford Cay school joining the Meridan and Tamberlay schools as the 'trikers', each registering with a fee of $5, cycled for charity. The registration fee will go towards promoting the Crisis Centre's 'Be a buddy not a bully' campaign. Chief organiser of the event Stanja Seivright, who started the first Bahamas Trike-a-thon on the request of her 4-year-old daughter Madison, was very pleased with the outcome. Mrs Seivright said: "When you hear statistics like, 50 years after opening, St Jude's Children's Research Hospital has improved the life expectancy of a child with cancer from 20 per cent to 80 per cent, you understand the magnitude of what you're supporting when you come out and support the Trike-A-Thon." "We are so very grateful to Madison for pursuing this initiative and helping to bring it to the Bahamas. St Jude's has certainly made a significant impact that is transforming the lives of children with this dreaded disease. "We are very proud to support this worthy cause and look forward to the growth of this event in the years to come," said Heidi Clarke, director of programmes for the Sandals Foundation. St Jude's Children's Research Hospital treats children from all over the world and is currently treating two Bahamian children. It has been ranked as the most trusted charity in the United States. It was also named the top children's cancer hospital in the 2010-2011 Best Children's Hospitals rankings, published by US News & World Report. All funds go into the care of children who would otherwise not be able to afford it. Additional sponsors and corporate supporters of the event included the Sandyport Homeowner's Association, which provided the venue; More 94FM, which covered the event; Club One Fitness, Starbucks Cable Cottage and Bahamas Waste Limited. The 2012 Bahamas St Jude's Trike-a-Thon was held under the theme "Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not".