Taking fundraising to new heights

Joel Dulhunty is hoping to raise more than eyebrows as he cycles 500km in the lead-up to Redcliffe Hospital Giving Day on his penny farthing.

The Redcliffe Hospital Director of Research and Medical Education has completed about 170km of his ambitious fundraising marathon ahead of Giving Day on October 13.

“By the time Redcliffe Hospital Giving Day arrives, I will have ridden 50 times around Redcliffe Hospital and five times across the Ted Smout Memorial Bridge,” Dr Dulhunty says.

The inaugural fundraising day is a 24-hour appeal being held in partnership with Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) Foundation, to raise money for hospital-led health research, patient care programs, health education, innovative equipment and other initiatives.

Dr Dulhunty’s goal is to raise $50,000 for a senior researcher position, in addition to more than $10,000 raised earlier this year during his 2500km Big Ride for Research from Cairns to Brisbane.

The experienced researcher would be based at Redcliffe Hospital for three years to lead, conduct and support world-class research.

“Research and bike riding are two of my passions – ‘research’ because it gives us a blueprint to deliver the best in healthcare; and ‘riding’ for fun, fitness and adventure,” Dr Dulhunty says.

He has been riding penny farthings for about three years and has owned his present ride for two years.

“It’s a lot of fun. I think of it as a combination of a sports car and a big truck. It’s pretty fast, when it gets going,” he says.

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