Around 1500 SAHMRI supporters took to the streets and parklands of central Adelaide on Saturday evening for the 2024 edition of SAHMRI’s BRIGHT Walk.

The walkers created a wave of colour and activity as they moved en masse along Karrawirra Pari (River Torrens), through North Adelaide, along Rundle St and North Terrace and into Light Square before finishing at a spectacularly lit up Cheesegrater.

SAHMRI Executive Director Professor Maria Makrides was among the throng of walkers and said she felt enormous pride to see such overwhelming community support for South Australia’s flagship health and medical research institute.

“This is such a spectacular, family-friendly event but of course the underlying purpose is to raise funds to support SAHMRI research that is creating healthier futures for people everywhere,” Prof Makrides said.

“The money raised goes directly to support research that is making a material difference in so many ways, including more babies being born on time, detecting heart disease earlier for better outcomes and novel cancer treatments that are specific to the genetic abnormalities that are driving the disease.”

Prof Makrides says the South Australian community’s advocacy for SAHMRI is just as valuable as the funds raised.

“We exist to serve our community, addressing the biggest health problems that we are all facing today,” she said.

“We need our community to engage with us to ensure our research focus is where it is most needed, and delivering results that are improving health and health care for everyone.”

The 11km BRIGHT Walk is a significant logistical challenge to stage and is only possible because of significant contributions from a range of SAHMRI supporters.

Insurance Advisernet powered the campaign’s Donation Dollar Match Day which encouraged a major influx of donations while KitchenAid and the Adelaide Zoo donated prizes for donor incentives.

Media partners 10 Paramount and Nova Entertainment contributed to the event’s promotion and at the event itself.

Several organisations helped fuel the walkers on their journey including Betty’s Burgers, the National Wine Centre, Sunrice, Vege Chips and Funday Natural Sweet Company.

And entertainment along the route came courtesy of the Royal Australian Navy Band of SA, the Australian Army Band, the InU Choir, Radio Italiana 531, SAHMRI’s very own in-house band the Minestrone of Sound No Two Ways.

The BRIGHT Walk is run in collaboration with Illuminate Adelaide, taking in the very best of its free City Lights displays as the walkers make their way towards the Cheesegrater finish line.

But the biggest thanks goes to the army of volunteers who helped create a safe, fun and spectacular experience along the route – and of course the many hundreds of walkers who registered to take part and encouraged their networks to sponsor their efforts.