09/02/2024
PM Piping has been on board as a sponsor from day one of the Sawatzky Cup charity tennis tournament and was once again to the fore for the fourth iteration of the event, which raises funds for Rare Voices Australia, the peak body helping more than two million Australians dealing with rare illness and disease.
Just under 100 men and women in 24 teams, including from as far away as Dunsborough, 250km south of Perth, took part in the tournament on Saturday January 20 on the magnificent grass courts of Alexander Park Tennis Club.
PM Piping featured on the front of all tournament shirts - and it proved a great omen with Michael Connelly captaining the men's champion team on the day, the Ocean Ridge Ridgebacks.
The tournament is named after Ross Sawatzky, a Perth tennis player and father of two who died in 2020 aged just 48 from a rare autoimmune condition, HLH.
RVA chief executive officer Nicole Millis said the organisation was thrilled with the impact of the Sawatzky Cup, which is helping shine a spotlight on Australians living with a rare disease. A disease is rare if it affects fewer than five in 10,000 people but there are more than 7000 identified rare diseases, such as HLH.
"The funds raised through the Sawatzky Cup will help RVA continue overseeing the collaborative implementation of the Australian Government's National Strategic Action Plan for Rare Diseases," she said.
Tournament founder and organiser Norman Burns, who hopes to expand the Sawatzky Cup throughout WA, interstate and even internationally, said it was great to see the event growing each year, especially as a lead-up to Rare Disease Day, which will be held this year on February 29.
Rare Disease Day is a global movement focused on advancing equity in healthcare, social opportunity and access to effective diagnosis and treatment for an estimated 300 million people worldwide - including two million Australians - living with a rare disease.
"Word of mouth is spreading throughout the state that the Sawatzky Cup is a great, fun but competitive tournament played in an amazing spirit for a fantastic cause. It wouldn't, of course, be possible to stage such an event without the support of amazing sponsors such as PM Piping. While all dollars donated are gratefully received, the prime objective is to raise awareness of rare illness and disease and the work RVA does nationally in this field," he said.
The tournament has raised more than $5000 for Rare Voices Australia and donations can still be made via https://lnkd.in/gq5TTjuQ
Credit: Images Scotty's Media, Text Norman Burns