How the Curves Sisterhood Raised $73,770 for Cancer Wellness
Join Us for the Historic Final Walk for Wellness This October
The bond between the Curves community and the late, iconic Dame Olivia Newton-John has always been defined by a shared belief in treating the whole person, not just the illness. On 11 June, that bond was beautifully reaffirmed. Members of our Curves team gathered at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre at Austin Health in Melbourne, Australia, for a deeply meaningful milestone: the official launch of Olivia’s Walk for Wellness 2026.
The gathering served a dual purpose, acting as both a celebratory look toward the future and a moment of immense gratitude for the past. Our team had the distinct privilege of handing over a fundraising cheque made possible by the collective generosity, sweat, and spirit of Curves women right across Australia and New Zealand.
The final total on the cheque was an incredible $73,770 AUD, raised through our dedicated community fundraising efforts throughout 2025. Every single dollar of this sum goes directly to funding vital wellness services at the Centre. These funds directly support the exercise programs, nutritional guidance, emotional support, and integrative care that help people live well through cancer treatment and beyond. Standing beneath Olivia’s portrait to present that cheque was a profoundly proud moment for everyone involved. However, the number itself tells a much bigger story. It represents the sum of countless small efforts, including members, coaches, and local clubs all chipping in to do what our sisterhood does best: looking after one another.
Why the Fight Against Breast Cancer is Personal to Curves
As a women’s health and fitness network, our passion for supporting cancer treatment—and breast cancer initiatives in particular—runs incredibly deep. We are not just a gym; we are a true sisterhood. Within the walls of our clubs, the devastating impact of a cancer diagnosis is not an abstract concept. Every single one of us knows a mother, a sister, a daughter, a grandmother, a coach, or a fellow member whose life has been upended by breast cancer.
Because we see the strength and resilience of these women daily, we pride ourselves on being a community that actively comes together to lift each other up during life’s hardest battles. Exercise, strength training, and supportive community care play a monumental role in both cancer prevention and recovery. This understanding drives our collective determination to fund services that offer holistic, compassionate care to women when they need it most. Our partnership with the Centre is a natural extension of our daily mission to protect and empower women’s health at every stage of life.
A Heartfelt Family Connection and Partnership
The launch event was made all the more special by the presence of Tottie Goldsmith, Olivia’s niece and the dedicated ambassador for both the Centre and Olivia’s Walk for Wellness. She spoke passionately to the attendees about Olivia’s continued presence at the Centre she helped create, the groundbreaking work being done daily, and the legacy that lives on through its patients and staff. It was a heartfelt reminder of the family connection and the very personal story at the absolute heart of this cause.
Our connection with Olivia is a long and meaningful one, stretching back nearly two decades. It began in 2007 with the historic Great Wall of China walk and grew through years of dedicated fundraising for breast cancer research, including supporting the distribution of the Liv Aid breast self-examination kits through our clubs. In 2017, we proudly joined Olivia’s Walk for Wellness, and from 2024, we solidified that bond into a fully fledged partnership. In just the past two years alone, Curves clubs have raised over $100,000 AUD for the Centre.
We are immensely proud to stand as a leading partner of the Walk, raising the bar a little higher with each passing year. This is not a partnership kept at arm’s length. Through our physical clubs, we work directly with many women who are facing challenging cancer journeys every day. Because of this, Curves and the Centre are deeply aligned in philosophy and action.
One of the most moving parts of the recent visit was seeing our famous decorated bras on display at the Centre. Each year, Curves clubs hold an annual bra-decorating competition. The winning pieces are framed and permanently gifted to the Centre, while the creative winners are rewarded with a trip to attend the Walk in person. Each decorated bra carries a deeply personal story, raising vital funds while creating something just as valuable: connection, understanding, and a visual reminder that nobody has to face this diagnosis alone.
The Road to the Grand Finale in October
While the launch was filled with celebration, it also brought a significant and bittersweet announcement. The upcoming event on Sunday, 4 October 2026, will mark the 13th and final installment of the annual fundraising walk. Organizers have shared that they are ending the massive, single-day in-person walk due to rising operational costs, and will instead shift to alternative, year-round fundraising initiatives.
Because this will be the grand finale of a 13-year-running tradition, we want to make it our biggest, most vibrant, and most impactful Curves team turnout in history. The event will take place from 8:00am to 12:00pm AEDT at Alexandra Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. For those who cannot travel to Victoria, the event is fully accessible virtually, allowing you to walk and participate from absolutely anywhere in the world.
For Curves, this final walk is not an ending, but rather a gateway to all that is possible for future outreach and connection. Next year, working alongside the ONJ Cancer and Wellness Centre, we will be expanding our horizons and finding new ways to carry this same supportive spirit forward.
How Every Member Can Get Involved This Year
To ensure we send this tradition off with the highest impact possible, we are launching a massive, coordinated effort across all clubs starting this winter. From July through September, every Curves club will be actively raising money internally. All funds raised during these three months will be pooled together and presented as a grand collective cheque live on the walk day in October.
Simultaneously, our annual bra-decorating contest will be kicking off in-club. We encourage every member to channel their creativity, share their stories, and participate in this beautiful tradition that brings so much joy to the patients at the Centre.
We are calling on the entire Curves sisterhood to help us make history on 4 October. Please speak directly to your local Curves club about getting a group together to join us on the day if you are near Melbourne. Alternatively, you can absolutely join the Curves team by yourself. Whether you choose to travel to Melbourne to stand side-by-side with us at Alexandra Gardens, or rally your local community to walk virtually from your own neighbourhood, your presence matters. We would love to see you there. You can find comprehensive details by visiting the official event page at walkforwellness.com.au.
To every member and club who contributed to our 2025 milestone, this success belongs to you. Your workouts, your fundraising, and your heart have added up to something that will support real people at one of the hardest times in their lives. Let us lace up our sneakers one last time for Olivia, look toward the future of wellness, and make the 2026 walk completely unforgettable.
Ready to Join a Sisterhood That Walks the Talk?
When you join Curves, you are not just signing up for a workout; you are becoming part of a passionate, tight-knit community that rallies together for women’s health, cancer recovery, and powerful causes like Olivia’s Walk for Wellness.
Book your Discovery Consultation at your local club today to experience the unmatched support of our fitness sisterhood. Secure your membership, take control of your health, and find out how you can join our collective Curves team for the historic final walk this October.
Passionate About Women’s Health? Open Your Own Curves Club
If you are inspired by the incredible impact our global sisterhood makes when we unite for cancer wellness, you can bring that same powerful energy to your own neighborhood.
Find out how you can transform your life and empower your local community with the gift of health, strength, and life-changing support by owning your own Curves Club.
