It was an unforgettable challenge with 26 riders taking on more than 1000 kilometres over seven days. The terrain was tough, the weather was unforgiving, but the cause – helping sick kids right here in Brisbane – kept them going.
“Some of the hardest time cycling that I’ve ever done. Two hours, hosing rain, cold, windy, trucks coming past us, there wasn’t much chatter going on in the peloton this morning,” Matthew Foote, who was riding in the Hutchinson builders team, said on day six of the challenge.
This year, the cyclists from the 2026 Brisbane Chain Reaction Challenge traversed New Zealand’s North Island from Auckland to Craggy Range. Some days, they pedalled more than 160 kilometres, with many of the riders describing the course as “extremely tough” at times.
It is the third year that The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation has been fortunate to be a charity partner for this event.
Funds raised from the first Chain Reaction Challenge enabled the purchase of a state-of-the-art paediatric ultrasound machine, and for the second year in a row, the challenge is supporting the Child Life Therapy program at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH).
“A lot of climbing, a lot of kilometres and a lot of rain… but it does make you toughen up a bit when you think about the challenges that parents go through when their kids are in hospital, this is nothing,” said rider from the Limitless Development team, Josh Darling.
“They call it a challenge, so it’s Chain Reaction Challenge for a reason – it challenges you. Yeah, knowing you’re doing something good and worthwhile makes it all the more special. That sort of stuff brings you back year after year.”
Supporting the Child Life Therapy program at The Prince Charles Hospital
The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation first funded a pilot Child Life Therapist program in 2022.
In that first year, the Child Life Therapist supported approximately 2,000 children, with more than 60 per cent aged six or under.
The support generated through the Chain Reaction Challenge means the program could be expanded at TPCH, with the addition of a second child life therapist.
The expansion of this program will mean thousands more children and families at The Prince Charles Hospital will directly benefit from this service.
Benefits of Child Life Therapy
A Child Life Therapist is an allied health professional who helps children feel safe and in control during medical assessments, treatments and procedures.
They do this by using evidence and play-based positive distraction techniques, and working closely with families to collaborate on coping strategies that provide this ‘felt safety’ and sense of control in challenging situations.
“Child life interventions are customised or individualised based on how each child is presenting, what their previous experience is, what their current understanding about what’s going to happen is, how they’re feeling, clarifying if there’s any misconception and providing information or education based on their developmental age and their learning style. The purpose is to get them involved. Extending the child life therapy service to the ward means we can continue with that same care,” said Meenu, the hospital’s first Child Life Therapist.
Chain Reaction Challenge riders visit the hospital
In May, some of the Chain Reaction Challenge riders visited the hospital to hear from the Child Life Therapists first-hand.
“Recently, we helped a neurodiverse child who was about 8-years-old. The first time, blood tests took us about two hours. This included psychological preparation with a little bit of sedation. And once this child moved to the ward, he was hiding in the corner – that was day one,” Meenu explained.
“Since then, he’s had three presentations to Emergency Department (ED) and two admissions on the ward. The child who used to go mute now runs around the ward and looks for me or Amy (the other Child Life Therapist). During his last visit to ED, before his blood test, he said, ‘I will scream, but I’m okay.’ During the procedure, he held his arm out, looked at it, he didn’t even want numbing cream. His mum, who used to leave the room before, stayed with him, he wanted to listen to his favourite music while having the blood test. He screamed, but held still, no one was holding him – and that’s the power of connecting with children, providing them with choices and control, and helping them feel truly safe.”
Meenu told the riders how the intervention can help not just in the short term, but also positively impact the child as they grow up.
“When a child enters the hospital, even before we start examination or a treatment, the first thought is, ‘Am I safe here?’ and ‘ Do people care?’ and that’s about emotional safety. An answer to the question shapes how they’ll interact with healthcare throughout their lifetimes. We see the child growing, resilience, growing in confidence and trust when they feel seen, heard, involved, and truly cared for,” she explained.
Expanding the Child Life Therapy Service
Twenty-one and a half per cent of total compliments received for the Children’s Emergency Department in 2022 were about the Child Life Therapy service, and that was only six months into the pilot project’s launch.
“The impact of that therapist was so profound, that it demonstrated a clear need for a second one at the hospital. As one of Queensland’s busiest Children’s Emergency Departments, demand for these services will only continue to grow. Expanding this program means more children and families can receive specialised support during what is often one of the most stressful experiences of their lives,” said Chloe Nguyen, Chief Communications and Philanthropy Officer at The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation.
Research over the first couple of years of the service has shown a positive impact on child, clinical, and system outcomes.
“It’s drastically reduced stress and anxiety for children. From a clinical perspective, we’re able to complete procedures with less sedation, fewer staff involved, and much more quickly because the children are coping better. They’re then able to go home sooner too – it (Child Life Therapy) also supports early discharges,” explains Meenu.
Along with patient feedback and positive experiences, staff say the inclusion and expansion of the Child Life Therapy service has been amazing.
Thank you to the riders and supporters
We are beyond grateful to be a partner for this impactful event which has enabled the expansion of a service that enhances emotional and psychological support for Queensland children.
A heart-felt thank you to the riders from Limitless Developments, Hutchinson Builders, Simonds Homes, PROJX Australia and their supporters for helping us to expand this vital service.
