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Helping a cause FIRST staged in 2006 by the Pedestrian Council of Australia, the Cancer Council NSW Seven Bridges Walk is expected to attract as many as 15,000 participants this year. For the first time, Cancer Council NSW will be the naming partner for the event. Funds raised from the registration fee and donations on the day will go to the council’s vital cancer research, prevention programs and support services. People wishing to make a donation can visit www.7bridgeswalk.com.au Participants can walk all, or part of, the 25km clockwise course, which crosses the seven iconic bridges of Sydney Harbour. The Cancer Council NSW Seven Bridges Walk provides an opportunity for participants to get active while enjoying some of Sydney’s most spectacular views. Walkers can start and finish at any of the seven villages along the course. Once registered, they will receive their Event Passport, event map and event wristband. The event opens at 8am and closes at 5pm. It’s recommended that walkers planning to cover the full course begin before noon so they can complete it by 5pm. Free special-event buses and ferries will return to their starting point any participants who don’t want to cover the full walk. Walkers must present their Event Passport to access the free event buses and ferries. At each of the seven villages, participants will be able to enjoy food and refreshments as well as music and entertainment. Toilets, transport information and first aid (selfserve or provided, depending on the village) will also be available. In addition to the seven village precincts there are many quality cafes, restaurants and pubs along the course that provide an excellent place to stop and refuel. The Seven Bridges Walk also acknowledges the support of its media and corporate sponsors. They include The Sunday Telegraph, Channel Seven, Telstra, shoe manufacturer Asics, insurance group QBE and the NSW Government. Survivor on track A YEAR ago, Sydney mum Diane Albrecht (above) could barely walk to the end of her street. Today, she will attempt to cover the entire 25km course of the Cancer Council NSW Seven Bridges Walk. Last September, Ms Albrecht, 48, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has since endured a mastectomy, two different chemotherapy treatments over a six-month period, and 25 sessions of radiotherapy. During her treatment, Ms Albrecht began walking as a way to help her physically and mentally — by rebuilding her physical strength and boosting her self-esteem. ‘‘I could only walk to the end of the street at first. But gradually, over a period of time, I improved,’’ she said. With the support of her family and friends, including two brothers who have travelled from Byron Bay and Perth, the mother-of three will not only be aiming to complete the course but will be walking with another motive close to her heart. ‘‘Hopefully, we can raise some money for the Cancer Council to help others battling cancer,’’ she said. About 15,000 other people will also be walking for a cause today. Money raised from the walk registration fee, donations and fundraising groups will go to Cancer Council NSW’s work in cancer research, prevention, information and support services. Just one $10 registration fee can help staff the Cancer Council Helpline (13 11 20) with expertly trained nurses and health counsellors. The $20 fee from two walkers can help train a Cancer Connect volunteer to provide one-on-one support for people diagnosed with cancer. A $50 donation would pay for an hour of microscope imaging time. After facing her own battle with cancer, Ms Albrecht and her fundraising group, Enjoying Life, have set themselves a target of raising $500 for Cancer Council NSW. If they reach it, their contribution can help fund research into the causes of cancer and new and improved treatments. To learn more about the work Cancer Council NSW does in the community, visit www.cancer council.com.au Pyrmont Bridge At the entrance to Darling Harbour, Pyrmont Bridge regularly opens its central steel swing span to allow leisure and commercial craft to pass into Cockle Bay. Once a major transport route to the west, the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in the 1980s, then reopened as a pedestrian bridge. Anzac Bridge The Anzac Bridge over Johnstons Bay is one of Sydney’s most outstanding landmarks. The bridge has a main span of 345m and a total length of more than 800m. Its two towers support 128 cables, 120m high. Officially opened in 1995, it is the longest cable-stayed span bridge in Australia. Iron Cove Bridge Opened in 1955, Iron Cove Bridge comprises aesthetically distinctive piers and abutments which reflect the art-deco style. It was the last steel-truss bridge to be constructed in NSW. In 2009, the NSW Government approved plans to construct a second bridge over Iron Cove as part of the Inner West Busway along Victoria Road. Gladesville Bridge When completed in 1964, Gladesville Bridge was the longest single-span concrete arch ever constructed. It was planned by the NSW Department of Main Roads to form part of the proposed North Western Expressway. Tarban Creek Bridge Opened in December, 1965, Tarban Creek Bridge resolved a missing link between the existing Gladesville and Fig Tree bridges. Traffic previously had to negotiate the streets of Hunters Hill to cross the creek further upstream. Fig Tree Bridge The current Fig Tree Bridge was built in conjunction with the Tarban Creek and Gladesville bridges as part of the planned North Western Expressway linking the CBD to the Sydney- Newcastle Freeway. Sydney Harbour Bridge One of Australia’s best-known and most photographed landmarks, the world’s largest (but not longest) steel arch bridge reaches a height of 134m above Sydney Harbour. On a typical day more than 150,000 vehicles cross the Coathanger, which was opened in 1932. Spanning history and a city’s great divides 7 news Proud to support Sydney’s Seven Bridges Walk every step of the way Mark Ferguson and sons Ted (orange shirt) and Paddy (pink shirt) along with Cancer Council members, (left to right) Belinda Cotter, Selda Simsek, Frauke Becker, Emma McAlister, Natalie Bazina and Tracey Holmstrand