[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The red carpet was rolled out for Australia’s favourite celebrities and close to five hundred of Sydney’s finest to celebrate the tenth annual fundraising event, sunSCHine. The event raised over a staggering one million dollars for Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation. An overwhelming result, adding to the $4.5 million raised over the last nine years by the Foundation’s signature event.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image media=”67273″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The highly anticipated sold out event which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, featured comedian Mary Coustas, also known as ‘Effie’, as event MC, with notable guests including Mike and Annie Cannon-Brookes, Guy and Jules Sebastian, Blainey North, Camilla Franks, Camilla Freeman-Topper, Darren Palmer, Nicky Zimmerman, Noni Smith, Elle Ferguson and Joel Patfull, to name a few.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image media=”67274″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Celebrity Chef, Justin North treated guests to a decadent three course meal as they were entertained by Aria Award-winning artists Guy Sebastian and Samantha Jade.
Guests supported the cause through raffles and both live and silent auctions. There were over 70 impressive prizes up for grabs including a pearl harvest experience by Autore; one-of-a-kind House Of K’dor iridescent 10 carat London blue topaz, elegantly encased in 18k white gold, 18k rose gold and 1.20 carat round brilliant cut diamond being F in colour and Vs1 in clarity; a private jet for the day for ten people; luxury yacht charter for 20 people on Shadow with catering by celebrity chef Clancy Atkinson; and a five night Soneva getaway with three guests at a private villa in Thailand.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image media=”67272″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“The heart and compassion of everyone who has supported sunSCHine – from the fabulous committee to supporters – has helped raise more than $4.5 million for Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation to date. We are very fortunate for their generosity and their decade-long legacy of making a difference in the lives of sick kids,” said Nicola Stokes, CEO at Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image media=”67279″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The generosity continued well into the night as mum, Maria Stratilas, spoke of how her daughter, 15-year-old Tia, suffered a ruptured brain aneurism, blood clot and subsequent stroke. After life-saving surgery, once Tia woke up from her induced coma, she had to learn how to eat, walk and talk again. She spent almost nine months at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image media=”67271″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The tenth anniversary also saw committee members Sarah Hogan (Co-Chair and MPA Presenting Partner) Nicky Love Joye (Co-Chair), Ellie Aiken (Deputy Chair), Marnie Skilliings (Creative Director) and Juliana Medich, welcome the arrival of several new committee members this year including Annie Cannon-Brookes, Leah Bischoff, Ortenzia Borre, Dana Lewis, Chloe Podgornik and Natalie Salha.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image media=”67278″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]”SunSCHine 2019 was an amazing success and our best event ever. I am incredibly proud to have served on the committee for the last five years, and as co-chair for the past two years, with what is a truly extraordinary group of women. SunSCHine’s emergence as one of Australia’s most powerful philanthropic initiatives is a tribute to our partners, friends, patrons and many supporters who have actively invested in the well-being of the children of today and tomorrow,” said Nicky Love Joye, Co-Chair of sunSCHine.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image media=”67276″ media_width_percent=”100″ alignment=”center” img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Funds raised from the night will continue to support the latest equipment, like Vital Signs Monitors, ground-breaking research, and the best and brightest people, to help give sick kids in Hospital the very best care.
The evening concluded as guests celebrated on the dancefloor with DJ Peter Dolso. To learn more about SunSCHine go to: www.schf.org.au
Source: SunSCHine[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
