Thank you to Can Too Foundation's former Chair, Anne Massey, who stepped down from her role leading the board on Tuesday.
Can Too Founder, Annie Crawford expressed her sincere gratitude to outgoing Chair, Anne Massey for her incredible contribution to the Can Too Foundation over 10 years, as a participant, Mentor, Team Captain, Champion, Committee member, Director and finally as Chair.
“Anne lives the values of Can Too - she inspires, motivates, supports, and empowers our entire community,” said Annie.
“We thank her from the bottom of our hearts and look forward to seeing you live a quieter life in Cairns. Bring on a Can Too Pod there I say.”
Can Too, Peter McLean shares how it has been a pleasure working with Anne as Chair for the past 2.5 years.
“Anne has given so much to Can Too not just as Chair but also a Director for many more years as well as a passionate Can Tooer which I’m sure she will always maintain. Anne has also supported myself and the team so much, offered support and advice and always being there as a sounding board for new ideas and and to overcome challenges, so it is a huge thank you from me and the team,” said Peter.
"I would also like to thank outgoing Board Director, John Du Vernet, for his contribution to the Foundation," continued Peter.
Anne would also like to share with the Can Too community that it is with great sadness that she will be leaving the position.
“I had the honour and privilege of being the Can Too Foundation Chair since June 2018, after the amazing Founder and Chair Annie Crawford stepped down. It has been an incredible journey.
My journey as Chair has culminated in navigating the tumultuous year that 2020 was, which I’m proud to say that working alongside our CEO, Peter McLean, the Board of Directors, Can Too staff and our inspiring community, we have ensured that Can Too remains a healthy charitable foundation.
One of the things I am most proud of is that our community came back stronger and more committed than ever, we continued to fund 11 cancer researchers in 2020 and will fund a minimum of eight cancer researchers in 2021. This is a wonderful achievement in our current environment and is a testament to the strength of our Can Too Community.
I was thrilled to see that nearly 400 Can Tooers dived in to achieve their fitness and fundraising goals and register in the current Summer Learn to Ocean Swim program.
The swim program combined with the new Run into Summer, trail running, and walking programs will collectively raise over $414,000, to fund the brightest and best cancer researchers.
My decision to depart from the role as Chair was not an easy one to make, however it was the right time to recognise that new perspective and thinking is good for an organisation that is emerging into a new strong growth period. Plus, in my personal life it is time to rethink my lifestyle – not from running, swimming, exploring trails I might add, rather more to do with working less hours.
I would like to thank Annie Crawford for trusting me to uphold her legacy. She has been the most incredible influence in all our lives, and I consider myself very lucky to have met her.
Annie’s amazing journey in founding and building the Can Too Foundation - to become a force for change in health and fitness promotion, cancer prevention and research for our communities - is her gift to us all.
The Can Too team, led by Peter McLean, have my eternal thanks for working so hard and going above and beyond this year. They are in a nutshell, the best!
Thank you to Simon Buckingham for taking the reins as Acting Chair of the Foundation.
I was also particularly moved by the stories of resilience and inspiration of our community members this year including Can Too Coach, Sally Lynch who motivated us with our first virtual program during lockdown with nothing but her phone to video herself.
Also to the Casey family who after losing their father to cancer, banded together to swim 27km – the length of the Northern Beaches. The four siblings raised over $31,000 in a Can Too Beyond program to support cancer research.
They achieved their goal to swim the 27km relay ocean swim in 6 hours 50 mins, 10 mins quicker than they had predicted on a cold, windy day in September.
The courage of such Can Tooers who overcome their fear of ocean swimming personally resonates with me as I was terrified of the ocean. But thanks to the Can Too Coaches, Mentors, Team Captains and fellow Can Tooers who have supported me to achieve my own ocean swim goals. And I’m back doing it all again in the 2021 1km swim program.
Thank you again to our Can Too community for all that you do to change lives by making a difference to those in our community who will experience cancer, as well as creating fitter, healthier and happier versions of yourselves. The below quote I think is an apt way to describe our community.”
“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about,” - Margaret J. Wheatley.
