Cancer survivor Max Weeks, 12, will walk the 28-kilometre Mitre 10 Megawalk event with his nana Jillian Applegate this weekend, an event which raises money for The Acorn Project Hawke's Bay. Photo / Warren Buckland
Cancer survivor Max Weeks, 12, will walk the 28-kilometre Mitre 10 Megawalk event with his nana Jillian Applegate this weekend, an event which raises money for The Acorn Project Hawke's Bay. Photo / Warren Buckland
A young Hawke's Bay boy who battled through cancer will be walking from Hastings to Napier with his nana this weekend to help raise money for others like him and their whānau.
12-year-old Max Weeks was diagnosed with cancer when he was six-and-a-half-years-old, but has since recovered after going throughhis treatments.
He and his 'Noni', Jillian Applegate, will be walking in the 28-kilometre Mitre 10 Megawalk event this weekend, from which all registration fee proceeds go towards The Acorn Project Hawke's Bay.
The Acorn Project Hawke's Bay is a charity founded in 2019 that provides a wraparound support service for young people aged 12-24 and their families living with cancer, or relatives of those with cancer, in Hawkes Bay.
Max and his family were some of the original people to get involved in The Acorn Project Hawke's Bay when he was diagnosed. Photo / Warren Buckland
Mitre 10 advertising and events co-ordinator Pip George said this is the first Megawalk event since 2020 due to Covid, and the 14th time it has been hosted.
"We are chuffed to be able to engage with the community again and to help to raise much-needed funds for The Acorn Project Hawke's Bay," George said.
George said they had just over 500 people registered as of Wednesday, and the event typically had about 850 participants on average.
There are four circuits in the event to cater to differing levels of fitness and physical ability.
The Megawalk is a 28km run or walk which starts at Mitre 10 Mega Hastings at 7.00am.
The Dunlop Half Mega is a 15km run or walk that starts at Awatoto - opposite the southern end of the Fertiliser Works - at 8.30am.
The Langley Twigg Short Mega is a 6.5km walk or run which starts behind Ocean Spa on the Marine Parade at 10.00am.
The Harcourts Meander is a 3.5km walk or meander starting at 10.30am at Perfume Point, Ahuriri.
The finish line for all participants in the four events is Mitre 10 Mega Napier, where there will be a live band, games and spot prizes, food, a bouncy castle, face painting and arts and crafts activities.
From 5am to 4pm on Sunday, during the event there will be restricted access to Marine Parade, Breakwater Road, Hardinge Road, Nelson Quay, West Quay, Pandora Road, Thames Street, Severn Street and Prebensen Drive, according to Napier City Council.
Registration is $20 for an adult (16-65), $10 for children and seniors, $60 for a team of four, and free for those under 5 years of age.
