By Michael Hooper

I’ve been lucky to have some incredible experiences throughout my career and life. Now, as an ambassador for the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, the Balmoral Burn race day on Awaba Street, Mosman stands out as one of them.

Humpty Graduates Benson and Griffin with Michael Hooper

The Balmoral Burn isn’t your typical run. It’s for all ages and abilities, with an electric energy that builds from the moment you arrive. What makes it stand out isn’t the hill, it’s the reason everyone is there.For 25 years, this event has brought people together to make a real difference for sick kids in hospitals across Australia. It all started in 2001, when Phil Kearns AM created the Burn as a fundraiser to give back to Royal North Shore Hospital after they cared for his son. What was meant to be a one-off fundraiser grew into something much bigger – and continues to change lives year after year. Phil says

“For me, the most satisfying thing about the Burn legacy has been when a little kid has come up to me with their parents by their side and, and said, ‘Excuse me, mister, thank you for saving my life.’ That really hits you.”

A young Phil Kearns AM with his son Finn at the inception of the Burn

You feel the energy the moment you arrive. The Burn Village is full of families, runners, and supporters - music playing, activations buzzing, and people warming up for their race. From elite runners chasing times and corporate teams going head-to-head, to parents running alongside their kids and crowds lining the hill cheering on complete strangers like teammates, the Burn brings everyone together. Whether you’re running, walking, or watching from the sidelines, it’s not about being the fastest, it’s about showing up, backing each other, and being part of something bigger, because every step up that hill means something for families facing the unimaginable.

I’ve seen the impact the Balmoral Burn has on families helped through its work. Families like Benson and Lauren Ferreira. Their twins, Jude and Maggie, were born at just 28 weeks and spent their early weeks in neonatal intensive care. As a father, it’s hard to imagine: the uncertainty, the long days in hospital, the moments where you just hope everything is going to be okay.

Jude and Maggie’s mum and dad, Lauren and Benson, really put the impact of the Burn into perspective: “Humpty Dumpty and the Balmoral Burn was a North Star for us while we were in the NICU. Because of Humpty and all the equipment that was there to save the life of our babies when they needed it.”In those situations, the right medical equipment isn’t optional - it’s essential. For Maggie and Jude, the right equipment meant they were able to get better, grow strong, and go home with their parents.

Equipment provided through the Burn empowers clinicians to deliver the highest level of care. It helps monitor, stabilise, and treat sick kids when they’re at their most vulnerable. For families, that means hope and reassurance. For sick kids, it means the best chance at survival and strongest possible start to life. And for attendees of the Burn, it means making an impact far beyond the hill.

What began as a simple idea has evolved into a standout community event, raising $36.5 million to help sick kids in hospitals across Australia, from metropolitan hospitals to rural health services, and changing the lives of countless children and their families along the way.

No matter how you choose to enjoy the Burn, you’re part of something bigger - something that, for 25 years, has been changing the health outcomes for countless children all across Australia – and we’re not done yet.