Team Merlo cycles for charity

It’s not often that you feel good in lycra, but Team Merlo and over 600 other riders did just that on March 11 when they completed the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation’s annual Cycle of Giving.

Merlo Coffee are proud to support the Cycle of Giving again this year and contribute towards vital organ transplant research.

The event brings together riders from all walks of life, including organ donor recipients or family members of both donors or recipients who’ve experienced first-hand the amazing impact it has on people’s lives. People like Bec Craven.

At only 24, an unexpected virus reduced Bec’s heart function to just 16%. While she waited for a transplant, Bec was kept alive by a mechanical heart. If it wasn’t for this technology, and the heart transplant team at The Prince Charles Hospital, Bec would not be here today.

“The Cycle of Giving is something we’ve been very proud to support over the past few years,” Merlo CEO James Wilkinson said.

“At Merlo, giving back to our community is something we’re passionate about and we think it’s very important that we help out and do all we can for this great cause.”

This year’s ride raised over $215,000, which is equivalent to 4,800 hours of crucial research and makes it the primary fundraising event for the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation.

80% of people will be affected by chronic illness (like heart disease, lung disease, dementia and arthritis) in their lifetime.

The Common Good – an initiative of the Prince Charles Hospital Foundation – aims to provide more than $5M per annum to support research into these illnesses and into improving hospital care, surgery, rehabilitation and the use of new technology.

To learn more about the work of The Common Good, take a look at this video.