Leanne completes 270km walking challenge in memory of late sister

Leanne Schulz has completed her 270km ‘Can You Do The Distance For Ellie’ walking challenge alongside a strong crowd of supporters in Harden on Sunday 30 August. Raising funds for the Harden-Murrumburrah and Young-Boorowa branches of Can Assist, the goal to raise $2700 for both branches has been blown out of the water. As it stands, nearly $10,000 has been raised by Leanne and her team. Leanne took on the challenge in memory of her late sister Ellie who lost her battle with adenocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bladder, in April 2024. Ellie was 27 when she passed away, with Leanne setting her walking and fundraising goals accordingly in remembrance of her sister. Beginning Sunday’s walk at McLean Park hand-in-hand with Ellie’s daughter Ivy, Leanne walked the last five kilometres flanked by friends, family and strangers willing to support the cause. “I said to the crowd that I thought Ellie would be with us every step of the way, having a bit of a giggle and wanting us to have fun, so we took on that mantra for the day,” Leanne said. “I’m really hoping it makes a difference, that it helps our branches and helps the community.” Leanne has not walked alone throughout the challenge, with Ellie’s former colleague at FTS Financial Planning Josh Wachner and her friend Macca Aldridge also completing 270km challenges. The three of them crossed the line together on Sunday having completed a combined distance of 810km, longer than a returned trip from Harden to Sydney. The Hard Rock gym in Harden was also involved, with its members combining to crank out 270km on the treadmill during the month of August. “It was so nice to do that last 5km with a bunch of people I knew, and some that I didn’t. “We’ve done it for Ellie to give back on her behalf, but I finished thinking ‘what’s next?” Maxine Davis is the vice president of the Harden-Murrumburrah branch of Can Assist, and said she is immensely proud of the fundraising effort. "We're always ecstatic when anyone wants to raise funds for us, and it's not just raising the funds, it's also promoting our branch," Maxine said. Can Assist provide local cancer patients with fuel vouchers, accomodation, access to government assistance and a host of other helping hands. "The money that Leanne has raised goes directly into each individual branch, and every dollar stays within that branch and is used for the local community," Maxine said. "She's done an amazing job, it would have been very emotionally hard for her and her family to be getting out and pounding the pavement, but to do it and raise funds for Can Assist while remembering her gorgeous sister Ellie, and with Ivy as well, it's just amazing." On a short walk in Young with Leanne last Friday, she spoke about the joys and challenges of a month putting one foot in front of the other. “Ellie was a Harden girl, she grew up in Harden and went to school there, then she moved over to Young for work and to start her adult life," Leanne said. “She had the support of her hometown and her new community in Young, and that was the reason I chose to do the fundraising for both. “I spent a couple of months prior to the challenge getting myself prepared physically, but I didn’t prepare myself as well for the emotional challenge that it was going to be. “I’ve done walks as long as 15km, they’ve always been walks with a purpose, and not just counting my everyday steps. “It’s been nice watching other people smash that goal or get on board, it’s encouraged me to keep going. “I definitely want to keep doing fundraising for Can Assist, they’re so important for our communities especially in terms of practical support for cancer treatment. “Ellie’s cancer was quite rare, so we had to go to the city for specialist appointments “It was hundreds of kilometres of travel and so much time away from home. “Without their help Ellie wouldn’t have been able to have her little daughter with her while she was being treated.” If you would like to donate to the ‘Can You Do The Distance For Ellie’ fundraiser page, visit https://can-assist.grassrootz.com/can-do-the-distance/harden-murrumburrah or https://can-assist.grassrootz.com/can-do-the-distance/young-boorowa.