Anna Baric supported Canteen by participating in Road Raise.

At Beyond Bank, we know that the opportunity for people to "give-back" to their communities is incredibly rewarding. As a B Corp, we are committed to supporting our people. It's why we encourage our staff to volunteer with organisations like Canteen. 

Canteen provides support and counselling to young people when cancer turns their world upside down.  Whether it’s their own diagnosis or a close family member’s, it’s a big deal for a young person to go through.

We've supported Canteen for the last five years through our Community Rewards Account. And some of our staff have been participating in their annual Road Raise, 7-day cycling tour fundraiser for a few years too.

It's a daunting 1,000km ride, but Anna Baric, our Business Development Manager, was ready and up for the challenge.

Anna was shocked when she discovered her good friend's son, Adam, had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. He had just finished Year-12 with an almost perfect score.

"I visited them and was shocked at how Adam looked. He was looked so frail, and his family were having an awful time," Anna says.

Anna wanted to do something to help and sought out colleague and Road Raise participant, Stephen Handrick.

Anna says that she hadn't ridden a bike since her early 20's. "I didn't even own a bike, and I didn't think I could ride the distance or for 7-days."

So Stephen suggested that she borrow a bike to find out if she enjoyed the riding.

"A girlfriend lent me her bike. I put on my sandshoes and peddled my way from Glenelg to Outer Harbour and back," Anna says. She was hooked and, in a matter of weeks, had bought her own road bike.

"I call it my leather modular on wheels, but it hasn't always been an armchair ride. I swapped pedals for cleats (clip-ins) and took a few falls," she says. Luckily it was only cuts and bruising, and it didn't dampen her enthusiasm.

"I said to myself that I'm doing this, no matter what! My challenge is nothing compared to what many individuals and families face when they're hit with cancer," she says.

Anna did something she's really passionate about and supported Canteen to help people like Adam. 

"Adam was my motivation. This event was a real challenge.  I had been training hard and I was determined to do my best to complete it. When I felt tired, I thought about the daily struggle that Adam and many others have with cancer's challenges," Anna says.

Congratulations on your achievement Anna! We agree that we can do good things when we work together— it’s not too late to support Anna by donating to her campaign.

You can also support Canteen by opening a Community Reward Account with us. It’s easy to open, and the more you save, the more we donate at no cost to you.