YAMS Foundation hits $1m at Oz GP

Seven years after launching the You Are My Sunshine (YAMS) Foundation in memory of her late granddaughter, Jude Donahoo reached her $1 million fundraising target at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix last weekend.

With the help of YAMS ambassador Jack Miller, Jude and a team of volunteers went into the MotoGP weekend $52,000 shy of their goal and reached the seven-figure milestone at the event whose attendees have so far accounted for $430,000 of the $1 million of raised funds.

“I’m so proud of Jude and all the YAMS volunteers who have worked hard over the years raising the $1 million for this worthy cause – they deserve a shoey!” Miller said.

Proceeds from the charity, which is based on Phillip Island, goes towards research into the childhood cancer Neuroblastoma which claimed the life of Jude’s granddaughter Khalilla, at the Peter McCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne.

“When we began in 2009 our goal was to reach $1 million dollars, however never in our wildest dreams did we think it would happen in seven short years,” Donahoo said. “It is now time for me to hang up the fundraising boots, however rest assured I’ll be staying in touch with all of the amazing people we have met along the You Are My Sunshine Foundation journey and we look forward to hopefully one day, finding a cure for Neuroblastoma”.   

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation’s CEO Andrew Westacott thanked Australian MotoGP goers for the donations that helped reached the Foundation’s target.

“The fans who have attended the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix for the last five years have generously emptied their pockets and we thank you all for your support of this local Phillip Island charity.”