After a smash hit debut in 2025, Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation’s (PCHF) Punching for a Cure fundraiser is back to help change the future for kids with cancer.
On March 5–6, almost 400 participants will step up at Rumble Boxing Subiaco to throw one million punches in just two days while aiming to surpass last year’s impressive fundraising tally of $400,000.
Funds raised by PCHF will support groundbreaking childhood cancer research, with a focus on expanding clinical trials, establishing Australia’s first Aboriginal-led childhood cancer research program, training the next generation of paediatric oncology and research leaders, and investing in cutting-edge equipment.
Among the participants will be the Pitts family, who have faced the heartbreak of having two of their three daughters diagnosed with cancer.
The WA sisters all live with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), a genetic condition that can cause tumours to develop on the brain, spinal cord and nerves. In an extraordinarily rare and devastating situation, all three girls have faced tumours.
Matilda, 15, recently completed intensive treatment for a spinal tumour the size of an orange, undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapy.
She is set to mark the end this challenging chapter by ringing the end-of-treatment bell later this year alongside her sister Danika, 10, who is now stable and has been off treatment for two years after responding to an innovative oral targeted therapy tablet.
Danika was just four years old when a tumour the size of a gold ball was discovered growing in her brain. Their sister Georgia, 13, also continues to undergo regular monitoring for a low-grade benign brain tumour. While she receives regular scans as part of a ‘wait and watch’ approach, she is not currently undergoing active treatment.
After undergoing extensive rehab, including physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to relearn how to sit, stand and walk, Matilda is this year looking forward to spending time with friends, creating art and painting and seeing her favourite music artist in concert.
Despite everything the sisters have endured, their mum, Natasha Pitts, said the girls are excited to punch at the PCHF event alongside their treating doctor, Perth Children’s Hospital’s Professor Nick Gottardo.
Mrs Pitts emphasised the need for more targeted, less toxic treatments for children facing cancer.
“Having seen two very different experiences of cancer – Danika, who got away with much gentler, kinder treatments on her body, and then Matilda, who needed chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy and surgery – has shown us just how different that experience can be,” Mrs Pitts said.
Over the two-day event, more than 70 teams will step up to the bag, joined by Perth-based Olympic boxer Yusuf Chothia, former Wallabies star Nic White and much-loved PCHF mascot Stitches the Bear.
Teams will punch non-stop for two hours in order to hit the ambitious one million punch target, aiming to beat last year’s total of $400,000 for childhood cancer research.
Funds raised for PCHF will support the newly formed WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre, which brings together the clinical excellence delivered at Perth Children’s Hospital and the research expertise of The Kids Research Institute Australia and The University of Western Australia.
The Centre aims to transform outcomes for kids with cancer by discovering better treatments that improve both survival and quality of life.
WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre Clinical Director Professor Nick Gottardo said childhood cancers are fundamentally different from adult cancers, requiring a dedicated research approach.
“In children, cancers are very different – they develop differently, spread faster and often appear to strike at random,” Professor Gottardo said.
“Yet most treatments are developed for adult cancers and are decades old.
“Current cancer treatments are incredibly harsh. It’s not just about survival; it’s about quality of life. We want a future where we have more weapons against this disease that are more specific and much less toxic.”
While around 80% of children now survive cancer, it remains the leading cause of disease-related death among Australian children.
Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO, Carrick Robinson, said Punching for a Cure was about standing shoulder to shoulder with families facing the unimaginable.
“While survival rates have improved, they’ve stalled in recent years, and our vision is for every child with cancer to survive and thrive,” Mr Robinson said.
“These kids deserve newer, gentler treatments. Funds raised for PCHF through Punching for a Cure are critical to fast-tracking cancer discoveries and ensuring new therapies can be accessed right here in WA, so no family has to travel interstate or overseas for life-saving treatment.”
Last year, Punching for a Cure raised over $400,000. In 2026, donations will get an extra boost thanks to Imagine Cruising, with donations matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $50,000, starting Thursday, 26 February.
For the first time, teams will also participate from satellite locations in regional WA, including MACA’s Duketon site in the Goldfields (nearly 800 km away) and AngloGold Ashanti’s Tropicana site (330 km from Kalgoorlie).
Other event sponsors include KLF Contracts, K-Drill, Westforce Construction, Technical Resources, Belgravia Apparel, SlumberCorp and Brooks Hire.
To support the Pitts family team, Triple knockout, donate here: https://fundraisefor.pchf.org.au/fundraisers/tripleknockout
You can join the fight against childhood cancer by donating or signing up at Punching for a Cure or visit pchf.org.au.
By Hearts and Minds
