THE OUTBACK
LONG RIDE
With Sarah Wheeler
An inspiring journey of resilience,
love and hope, raising awareness
and funds for upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancer research.
Young rural woman Sarah Wheeler is determined to turn the double-tragedy and loss of both her parents into motivation and inspiration – embarking on an epic nine – month horseback ride, known as The Outback Long Ride, to raise awareness and funds for upper GI cancers.
After a year of planning and heartfelt anticipation, Sarah
Wheeler is on a deeply personal mission: trekking nearly
5,500km across Australia with her cherished horses Sally and Shifty. Inspired
by her late mother, Terri, who lost her battle with a rare upper
gastrointestinal cancer, Sarah’s journey serves as both a healing
pilgrimage and a beacon of hope. To support Sarah’s noble
cause and contribute to upper GI cancer support and research, click below.
After a year of planning and heartfelt anticipation, Sarah
Wheeler is on a deeply personal mission: trekking nearly
5,500km across Australia with her cherished horses Sally and Shifty. Inspired
by her late mother, Terri, who lost her battle with a rare upper
gastrointestinal cancer, Sarah’s journey serves as both a healing
pilgrimage and a beacon of hope. To support Sarah’s noble
cause and contribute to upper GI cancer support and research, click below.
Why support Sarah and her journey?
“ The grief of losing my parents has given birth to a mission – a Grief and Upper GI Cancer
Fundraising project called ‘The Outback Long Ride’; a solo journey on horseback to raise
awareness, help me heal, honour my parents’ lives and their love of horses, and to do something
to incorporate my love of capturing rural life and the people within it.”
- All funds raised go to support both charities Pancare Foundation (the leading organisation inspiring hope, raising awareness, supporting families and funding research for upper GI cancers) and A Daughter’s Way (Sarah’s own charity designed to support rural families experiencing grief in rural Australia).
- Sarah is an incredible storyteller. One woman, her beloved horses and her camera, will capture the lives and stories of everyone she meets on her 9-month journey.
- Each year more than 8,000 Australians will die of an upper GI cancer – pancreatic, liver, stomach, biliary and oesophageal cancers.
- Upper GI Cancers account for approximately one in five cancer deaths each year. The five-year survival rates for upper GI cancers in Australia today remain worse than outcomes for all cancers observed in 1975.
- Australians living in remote areas are 1.3 times more likely to die from cancer compared to those living in major cities.
-
All funds raised go to support both charities Pancare Foundation (the leading organisation inspiring hope, raising awareness,
supporting families and funding research for upper GI cancers) and A Daughter’s Way (Sarah’s own charity designed to
support rural families experiencing grief in rural Australia). -
Sarah is an incredible storyteller. One woman, her beloved horses and her camera, will capture the lives and stories of
everyone she meets on her 9-month journey. -
Each year more than 8,000 Australians will die of an upper GI cancer – pancreatic, liver, stomach, biliary and
oesophageal cancers. -
Upper GI Cancers account for approximately one in five cancer deaths each year. The five-year survival rates for
upper GI cancers in Australia today remain worse than outcomes for all cancers observed in 1975. - Australians living in remote areas are 1.3 times more likely to die from cancer compared to those living in major cities.
SARAH’S JOURNEY
On an epic journey of courage, resilience and love Sarah will take 9 months to cross Australia. Follow Sarah’s journey and
help support her mission to make a difference to the lives of those families suffering with gastrointestinal cancer.
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About Sarah Wheeler
Sarah Wheeler, is everything you expect from young, proud rural Australian Women.
She embodies a deep respect for the country, she has explored the world, but the love she has for rural Australia remains at her core. Raised in Rowena, North West NSW, she cultivated a profound appreciation for the simple joys of life amidst the bush.
From a young age, Sarah discovered her love for creativity and exploration alongside her 3 sisters, which stemmed into photography and visual story telling.
This has been enhanced by her studies in Visual Communication Design adding a depth to her storytelling prowess, enriching her ability to capture the essence of rural life. Her business Beneath the Brim was inspired by her late father, and his love for his wide brimmed hat, he wore that hat everywhere.
FEATURED IN
A DAUGHTER’S WAY
Each year in Australia, around 1 in 20 children (which is just over 300,000 children) will experience the death of a parent
before the age of 18. To put this statistic into perspective, at least one child in every school classroom is grieving the loss
of a parent. In farming families, this statistic can be even higher due to increased risk of workplace fatality and higher
rates of suicide. There is a lack of support for families in regional and rural Australia when families are struggling with grief.
A Daughter’s Way is Sarah’s own charity, where she aims to create all expenses paid weekends to 7 day retreats, group
camps or group expeditions run by trained mental health professionals, and developed by clinical psychologists and so
much more for rural families experiencing grief and loss in Australia.
THE DEVASTATING REALITY OF GI CANCERS
This year in 2024 it is estimated that over 2,226 Australians will be diagnosed with either gall bladder or biliary tract
cancer. There is no early detection test, and there is a five-year survival rate of just 18.3 per cent. There has never been a
more important time to advocate for these cancers.
2,226
MEN & WOMEN
WERE DIAGNOSED
With gall bladder and biliary cancer in 2023
18.3%
CHANCE OF
SURVIVING
Biliary cancer past 5 years
SPONSORED BY