When Mark ‘Sharky’ Smoothy takes to the water for the Noosa Tri this Sunday, he won’t be plunging into the surf alone.
He’ll be joined by 360 participants aiming to raise more than $550,000 for cancer research through Mater Foundation – swimming, biking and running in honour of Adam Smiddy.
Adam Smiddy was a physiotherapist and avid cyclist, who passed away in August 2006 after a six-month battle with an aggressive melanoma.
He was just 26.
Two decades later, funds raised in Adam Smiddy’s name through Mater Foundation have passed $20 million.
‘Sharky’ was Adam Smiddy’s triathlon coach at The University of Queensland.
He remembers a crazy idea the young North Queenslander had.
“Adam had a dream to ride from Brisbane to his hometown of Home Hill, south of Townsville, with nothing but a credit card in our back pockets,” Mr Smoothy said.
That idea planted a seed.
“A few weeks after his passing, I decided to honour Adam the best way I knew how,” Mr Smoothy said.
‘Sharky’ set off with two mates, Ron Steel and Ollie Bodak, to fulfil Smiddy’s dream – riding more than 1500km and raising $24,000 in the process.
Their last stop on the home stretch to Townsville was Home Hill, visiting Adam Smiddy’s school and his final resting place, paying tribute to their mate.
The spirit of that initial ride has blossomed into a hundreds-strong community that helps to make giant strides in cancer treatment through Mater Research every year.
“That one-off ride to honour my mate grew into something I could never have imagined,” Mr Smoothy said.
Mater Research Executive Director Professor Allison Pettit said that funding has empowered Mater’s groundbreaking cancer research.
“Smiddy funding for melanoma and prostate cancer has pushed us well beyond our initial research areas,” Prof Pettit said.
“The Smiddy community has been vital to progress in research, from work to find the changes in DNA that cause breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer, to investigations into training the immune system to fight blood cancer, and several other important initiatives.
“Thanks to funds raised in Smiddy’s name over the last two decades, Mater researchers continue to push boundaries and bring hope to patients and families impacted by cancer.”
As the years passed by and the Smiddy community grew, Adam’s parents David and Maria were first in line to lead the way.
Maria Smiddy transferred her skills of running the Home Hill State High School tuckshop to feeding the pelotons that rode up and down the country in her son’s name.
Tragically, she faced her own battle with an aggressive cancer, passing away in 2015.
There have now been dozens of fundraising events for Smiddy, including Ironman events, half marathons, and multi-day ‘Challenge’ bike rides – the next edition of which will be held in New Zealand in February.
Mater Foundation Chief Executive Andrew Thomas said Smiddy’s story has brought together a community that has not only raised millions of dollars for cancer research, but has wrapped its arms around families who have faced cancer themselves.
“Behind every person diagnosed with cancer is a unique story, and behind every person involved with Smiddy is the determination to change what happens next,” Mr Thomas said.
“Since the first time the Smiddy community took on the Noosa Tri in 2010, the event has grown into the cornerstone of the Smiddy calendar and a powerhouse of fundraising for cancer research.
“In memory of Adam Smiddy, his mother Maria, and all Smiddy participants whose lives have been impacted by cancer, we are determined to fundraise for the future treatments and technologies that will improve outcomes for patients.
“The $20 million raised by the Mater Uncancer Smiddy community over the last 20 years through Mater Foundation has made an extraordinary difference.”
Since the inaugural odyssey to Home Hill in 2006, ‘Sharky’ has faced cancer himself, diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022.
“I was scared, and I know Adam must have been, but he was so brave,” Mr Smoothy said.
“The support of the community helps us to deliver a future beyond that fear for those diagnosed with cancer.”
On that first ride, ‘Sharky’ felt there was more than just the breeze pushing them northward, up the Queensland coast to Smiddy’s Burdekin home.
“I really felt, because it was so close to Adam’s passing, that he was part of that journey, that he was there, that he was with us,” Mr Smoothy said.
As ‘Sharky’ and more than 360 Smiddy triathletes bolt from the sandy starting line and plunge into the Noosa surf this Sunday, twenty years on from his passing, Adam Smiddy remains part of that journey.
