Home A Run for Research: Making every step count

A Run for Research: Making every step count

Research / 31 Mar, 2025

On Sunday, 6 April, runners, walkers, and supporters will come together along the South Bank riverside for On Pace Multisport’s second annual Run for Research.

The 5km journey is dedicated to the memory of beloved husband, father, and avid runner Phil Griff, who received treatment at Icon Cancer Centre.

All proceeds will support vital cancer research at Icon Cancer Foundation, taking meaningful steps towards a future where cancer patients live longer, better lives.

As the event approaches, Phil’s wife Sheree reflects on the significance of this year’s Run for Research, their family’s journey, the power of community support, and Phil’s enduring legacy.

Phil with his daughters Jorja (left) and Caitlin (right) after a race.

Family grit

Few know endurance like a family navigating cancer treatment. For the Griff family, their journey began at the finish line of the 2015 Cairns Ironman. Sheree noticed that Phil, usually unstoppable, was sluggish during his training. “I thought he might pull out,” Sheree recalls, “I told him to, but he was stubborn.”

After the race, Phil never fully recovered, leading to tests that revealed leukemia.

The following months were a blur of tests and scans. Knowing they needed help, Sheree reached out to a family friend who recommended Icon Cancer Centre.

Over the next five years, the family pushed ahead, adapting to their new normal, with hospital visits becoming part of their daily life.

“We lived at Icon, with the nurses,” Sheree shares. “For years, that was home.”

Phil underwent multiple treatments, including a stem cell transplant, but unexpected complications arose.

Despite tireless efforts from Phil’s clinical haematologist, Associate Professor James Morton AM and the team at Icon, Phil passed away in December 2019, surrounded by his family and care team at Icon.

Stronger together: surrounded by support

Looking back, Sheree emphasises the importance of a strong support network, acknowledging the Icon team, her daughters’ school, and the tight-knit running community who surrounded her family and provided strength through the toughest moments.

“You can’t do it alone,” Sheree says. “A/Prof Morton fought for us and gave us a chance. If it wasn’t for that clinic at Icon, and all nurses who had been so caring and beautiful, we wouldn’t have had those moments.”

Some of Sheree’s greatest support came from the On Pace Multisport community, founded by close family friend Neil Jones. “Training together was part of our life. We used to all hang out together,” Sheree recalls. “Neil and Phil had a special friendship.”

When Neil suggested a Fun Run in Phil’s honour, it felt like the perfect way to give back.

Sheree running along the Brisbane River at On Pace Multisport Fun Run 2024.

Phil Griff with his daughters Jorja and Caitlin. (Left-right: Jorja, Phil and Caitlin).

Phil’s Gift

Last year’s Run for Research, was a moment of connection and gratitude. Sheree remembers being overwhelmed by the outpouring of community and support. “You’re so proud and humbled that people around us put the effort into organising something like this.”

“At least I can run. There are so many people at Icon now getting treatment who can’t run. How lucky am I that I get to do this?”

At the heart of these events is the desire to make an impact. Every person who lines up, and every dollar raised, helps fund vital cancer research through Icon Cancer Foundation, giving more people access to new treatments and better outcomes.

As Sheree says, “Run, walk, bring your dog, pram, crawl, jog, even just turn up and have a coffee. It’s just about being part of something.”

The Run for Research is a reminder that no one faces cancer alone. Together, we can work towards meaningful change.

This year’s event is about celebration. “This is Phil’s legacy – smiling, moving, being happy and celebrating life.”

Join the Run for Research

This year, as we gather again to Run for Research, we honour Phil’s legacy, celebrate the community around us, and embrace the moments we have together.

Whether you’re running, walking, or cheering from the sideline, your support matters. Together, we can make a real difference, one step at a time.

On Pace Multisport Run for Research

When: 6am, 6.30am start Sunday, 6 April
Where: South Bank, Brisbane (meet on the grass outside Popolo restaurant)
Distance: 5-8 km for all fitness levels
Registration: $10 on the day (cash or card). All proceeds go to Icon Cancer Foundation.
Share on Facebook: Icon Cancer Foundation – Run for Research Facebook Event
Event page: Icon Cancer Foundation and On Pace Multisport Fun Run