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Questions Without Notice Questions without notice are asked of Ministers and answered during Question Time.
Mr LAWLOR: My question without notice is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Some ambulance paramedics have taken part in a fundraising walk for the Leukaemia Foundation from Gladstone to Brisbane. Can the minister please advise the House of their success in raising funds for the fight against leukaemia?
Mr CUMMINS: I thank the member for the question and I acknowledge his great love of walking. Today I will host a special lunch here at Parliament House for the Leukaemia Foundation's 'Walk of Hope' team,which includes Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics who walked from Gladstone to Brisbane to raise funds to fight leukaemia. Last week on both Thursday and Saturday I joined the group in the last stages of their 530-kilometre marathon effort. The group set out from a breakfast launch in Gladstone on 8 May. I had the honour of officially seeing them off in their quest to raise $100,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation. They look set to raise close to that target, so well done to everyone involved.
Many of them are here today in the gallery, including the ring leaders Russell Thomas, who is a paramedic, and his parents; Councillor Chris Trevor from the Gladstone City Council; Renee, who is an honorary from the Queensland Ambulance Service; Queensland's best dietician, Ben Ghee; and Senior Sergeant Stephen Embleton and Adrian Collins from the Leukaemia Foundation.
Leukaemia tragically touches many families each year. All six walkers have had cancer touch their lives and this was the motivation for them to undertake this massive walk. Covering between 40 and 50 kilometres per day was a huge effort. Last Thursday I joined the walkers outside Woodford and spent a few hours paving the bitumen with them as they made their way towards Brisbane. It was an uplifting experience and I cannot thank them enough for their extraordinary efforts. Then on Saturday I joined the walkers again as they hit the outskirts of Brisbane and I walked with them to the finish line at the emergency services headquarters at Kedron Park.
We were hosted at the Gabba by the Lions for which we are very grateful, and the Deputy Premier and Treasurer, Terry Mackenroth, welcomed the tired group to watch the Lions and Richmond match. We were not too happy with the outcome but it was a lovely night. The group, with helpers from the Leukaemia Foundation, collected donations from the crowd at the match to boost this marvellous fundraising drive.
I urge anyone who has not donated to this worthy cause to please consider doing so and to do so immediately to help the team meet the $100,000 target that they are trying to achieve. To all those involved with the 'Walk of Hope'--those who did the walk itself and of course the behind-the-scenes crew--I extend my heartfelt congratulations on a job well done. Last changed: [PUBLISHED_DATE] at 4:12 PM
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