City of Greater Dandenong councillor Lana Formoso has set herself up for an extraordinary 42.1995-kilometre Nike Melbourne Marathon to help raise funds for My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.
It’s a charity close to heart for Cr Formoso and her family who have first-hand experienced the work and the “remarkable” impacts the charity makes in the lives of young kids battling cancer and their families.
“I won’t be going for any world record that’s for sure,” Cr Formoso says speaking on her training efforts ahead of the big day.
“Let’s say if I cross that line, that’s more than enough and I can tick off another one of my bucket list.
“I’ll cross the line if my body allows me to do it, I know psychologically I’ll be able to push myself.”
The Formoso family have been with the volunteer-led charity ever since her son Luka was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on Good Friday 2022.
He endured chemotherapy for two and half years and is in remission today, supported by the charity who made a massive impact on their lives.
Out of the 192 fundraisers for the My Room charity, Cr Formoso is second on the ladder sitting on $5694, just $1800 from claiming the top fundraiser title.
Using the distressing memories as motivation, she says her children will be waiting at the finish line for her.
“I’m very much looking forward for that moment, they have ben motivating and pushing me saying they have full faith.”
Being a physical education teacher at a high school and a former runner, she says she is now more focused to raise as much as she can for the charity close at heart.
“The fact that it’s a purely volunteer led organisation, with only one paid staff -the CEO – it’s unheard of. That just doesn’t exist.
“This will be my first and last marathon, that is guaranteed.
“I just wanted to challenge myself in a way that kids are challenging themselves going through this horrendous disease.
“The 42.1 kilometres is a very small price to pay. I’ll be thinking of them every single step of that race.”
The grateful family received immense support during their tough times and has since worked to pay that forward in the form of donations, promoting the charity, raising awareness, supporting events such as the charity’s telethon and now through Melbourne Marathon.
The family effort which saw Hugo and Luka swap birthday presents for donations to the charity in 2022, has now raised more than $100,000.
Cr Formoso is committed saying any opportunity to raise awareness or funds, she will “do it forever.”
The race starts in Melbourne on at 6.30am on Sunday October 12.
To donate to the cause, go to melbmara2025.grassrootz.com/my-room/lana-formoso
