Riccarton Park, LOVERACING.NZ and TAB are supporting Cure Kids with the “Riccarton Park Red Nose Raceday” at this Friday’s synthetic meeting.

“We are so grateful for the support of Riccarton Park and LOVERACING.NZ, who are holding this event for our largest appeal of the year, Red Nose Day,” Cure Kids Head of Partnerships Amanda Piper-Randell said.

In support of the charity, in each race on the card Canterbury Jockey Club Chief Executive Tim Mills will elect one runner to wear the Red Nose Day silks.

TAB and LOVERACING.NZ have committed to making a donation to Cure Kids for every horse that wins wearing the special colours.

“Our goal as the Jockey Club is very simple, to support Cure Kids and raising the money they need to raise,” Mills said.

“For us to be involved with an organisation that is undertaking research to look after our next generation that will become our sports fans, our racing fans and the backbone of New Zealand.

“My challenge is to get the winner of every race wearing those colours because it will raise more money for Cure Kids.”

Cure Kids puts the aim of “big research for little lives” at the forefront of their philosophy, and among the many researchers involved with the charity is the Chair of Paediatric Research in Christchurch, Professor Andrew Day.

Day performs ongoing research activities investigating aspects of gastrointestinal inflammation, including IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) and Crohn's.

“We met Andrew Day, and he diagnosed Kendal with Inflammatory Bowel Disease,” Micah Dawson, mother of Cure Kids ambassador Kendal said.

“It’s a challenge, it’s been a huge change in lifestyle for Kendal and us as a family.”

George Trayler, father of Cure Kids ambassador Izzy, welcomed the support.

“It’s been a bit of a lonely journey, you don’t meet people with similar conditions all the time so for me, knowing that there are sponsors who can help Professor Day do his research is massive, so it can be shared around the world,” he said.

Part of Professor Day’s research also focusses upon understanding more about how gastrointestinal conditions are caused, with further studies in this area aiming to find a cure.

Also among the affected parents is Doctor Angharad Hurley, mother of Cure Kids ambassador Celt and a researcher alongside Professor Day in Christchurch.

“Having the support of someone like Cure Kids is huge, as a parent you struggle to get heard but (with Cure Kids) you feel validated, you feel listened to, you feel seen,” Hurley said.

“As a researcher, I know nothing comes for free, we’re always looking for a cure, something to make their lives better but we can’t do that without funding from people like Cure Kids.”

By donating to Red Nose Day, you’ll be supporting Cure Kids in funding groundbreaking research to save, extend and improve little lives.

To donate, click here.