GOLD COAST, QUEENSLAND (22 NOVEMBER, 2024) – Local business leaders today joined forces with professional surfer Liam O’Brien at the Club Wyndham Corporate Surf Challenge, to raise tens of thousands of dollars for people with Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy (FSHD).

FSHD is a complex and progressive genetic disease that causes muscle degeneration. Over time, it can rob individuals of the ability to walk, talk, eat, blink, and even smile. It affects approximately 1 in 7,500 Australians, equating to around 3,000 people nationwide – of which an estimated 90 live on the Gold Coast.

Despite the debilitating nature of the condition, its relatively small numbers mean it receives no funding from the Australian Government – leaving charitable foundation FSHD Global to raise money for treatment or a cure through events like the annual surf challenge.

This year, the professional and amateur surfers expected to raise more than $30,000 for FSHD Global, which will go towards a series of life-saving initiatives driven by the foundation.

“We are conducting our first clinical trial in Australia, one of 22 taking place worldwide, while we have also created an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered disease progression model to help us map FSHD as it takes hold. This gives us hope personalised medication can be a distinct possibility in the future,” said Emma Weatherley, Managing Director of FSHD Global.

“Researchers and foundations worldwide are collaborating closely with us and we are sharing the knowledge we are developing. We have greater hope of a cure for FSHD than we ever have and it all begins with the financial support of sponsors, corporate partners and events like this,” she added.

This year’s challenge boasted the star power of Liam O’Brien – currently ranked 21st on the men’s pro tour – who will surf alongside corporate leaders and surfing enthusiasts representing Club Wyndham, Accor Vacation Club, Maurice Blackburn, Ecolab, Coca-Cola Europacific, Harvey Norman Commercial, Fisher & Paykel, Ray White Surfers Paradise, Our Vacation Centre, Golden Heart Services, Higgins Coatings, Insurance Advisernet Australia Foundation and Bunzl.

This is the 12th iteration of the Club Wyndham Surf Challenge, an event developed by the Gold Coast-based team of Travel + Leisure Co., owner of the Club Wyndham brand. The business has managed the event since its inception.

“This concept is a board meeting as only the Gold Coast could envisage it – full of fun, familiar rivalries, glorious highs and the occasional wipeout. We are thankful for the ongoing support of businesses across the coast and our professional surfer this year, Liam O’Brien, for helping us once again support a worthwhile cause,” said Bruce Harkness, Senior Vice President Human Resources, Internal Communication and Customer Experience, Travel + Leisure Co.

“One of our fundamental principles is to have a positive impact in the communities where we operate and we are proud to partner with FSHD Global, which is on the cusp of delivering real change for people with the condition,” he added.

The event is a tag team surfing competition run under the Surftag format, where each team is represented by four surfers. All teams competed in an elimination round, then the victors progressed to a semifinal and the losers entered a repechage for a chance to secure a spot in the final.

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