Orange Thumbs

Orange Thumbs Day was held on 18-19 September 2010 in Bundaberg. In exchange for a gold coin donation, many residents painted their thumbnails with vibrant orange nail polish to raise money for BrizBrain & Spine Research Foundation and Camp Quality Bundaberg.

The concept began when local Bundaberg resident and BrizBrain & Spine volunteer, Garry Lawton succumbed to having his nails painted by a child at Camp Quality, where he often spends time as a volunteer.

Mr. Lawton spent the next week collecting donations from anyone who enquired about his brightly painted fingers, and so the event was born.

Orange Thumbs was highly successful and we were thrilled with the showing of community support, raising a total of $3,654.

In May 2010, Garry embarked on a run from Rockhampton to Brisbane to raise more money. From 9 May to 1 June 2010, Garry ran 628 kilometres through various towns to collect donations and raise awareness of the foundation and the importance of brain tumour research.

During the Orange Thumbs Run, Garry raised over $7,000 from  visits to many different locations, including  Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Childers, Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Gympie, Pomona, Nambour, Landsborough and Caboolture, with the official finish line at the BrizBrain & Spine office at the Wesley Hospital.

BBSRF would like to thank Garry for his fundraising efforts and congratulate him on the achievement of completing this difficult feat.