What’s Happening?
Cancer survivor Marcus Heironymus will pass through Toowoomba during a 400-kilometre walk from Goondiwindi to Brisbane.
The 25-year-old will begin The Chemo Commute on Saturday, 25 July 2026. He will travel through more than 15 towns before reaching Brisbane on Monday, 17 August.
Marcus is scheduled to reach Pittsworth on 3 August and Toowoomba on Wednesday, 5 August. He will then continue through Gatton, Laidley and Rosewood.
The campaign will raise money for Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay program. It will also highlight the difficulties regional patients face when seeking specialist cancer treatment.
Marcus was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2017, when he was 16. His family regularly travelled from Goondiwindi to Brisbane for specialist care.
Those trips sometimes involved eight hours of travel in one day. Free accommodation through You Can Stay was not available during his treatment.
Why It Matters?
A cancer diagnosis can place added pressure on regional families who must travel to metropolitan hospitals. They may face accommodation costs, lost income and long periods away from home.
Marcus said the walk represented the route his family regularly followed during his treatment. “This walk symbolises the route my family and I travelled regularly from Goondiwindi to Brisbane for my cancer treatment before Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay existed. No young person should face additional financial, physical or emotional hardship because of their postcode. I’m walking to raise awareness and fundraise for Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay program, so regional families continue to have access to accommodation support when receiving specialised treatment in the city,” he said.
Answered some questions exclusively for The Toowoomba Minute, Marcus said better cancer treatments had not solved the problems surrounding regional access. “I hope that people understand that while we have had so many incredible advancements in cancer care, there is still so much that needs to be done in regards to access to treatment. Regional families often need to travel incredible distances just to reach the care they need. Quite often this means time away from work, loss of income and needing someone to care for siblings and pets,” he said.
Marcus said You Can Stay could remove one major concern for families during an already stressful period. “When I heard about Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay program, I just thought it was a beautiful thing. While this program didn’t exist when my family needed it, I can see this helping so many families. If I can put my energy into helping another young cancer patient and their family sleep a little easier, I will do what I can do to help,” he said.
Sony Foundation chief executive Sophie Ryan-McPhee said many young patients must leave their communities to receive specialised care. “People living in regional Australia are 30 per cent more likely to die from cancer than those living in city areas. One in three young Australians diagnosed with cancer live in regional and rural areas. This means many families must travel long distances to access lifesaving specialised treatment only available in metropolitan hospitals,” she said.
Ryan-McPhee said the travel created further strain during an already difficult time. “This creates significant financial, physical and emotional pressure at an already incredibly challenging time. We’re extremely grateful to Marcus for using his own cancer experience to shine a light on the barriers faced by so many families across regional Australia,” she said.
Local Impact
Marcus will reach Toowoomba on Wednesday, 5 August, after passing through Pittsworth two days earlier. His visit will give Darling Downs residents a chance to support the campaign as he continues towards Brisbane.
Community support could also help more families learn about the free accommodation available through You Can Stay. Marcus said raising awareness was just as important as collecting donations.
“Sharing socials, not just so people can donate, but so more families are aware of this incredible program. A bottle of water or a friendly wave wouldn’t go astray either,” Marcus said.
By the Numbers
- Since 2020, Sony Foundation has funded more than 45,000 free accommodation nights through the You Can Stay program.
- About seven million Australians live in rural or remote areas, representing 28 per cent of the national population.
- One in three young Australians diagnosed with cancer lives in a regional or rural area, often far from specialist care.
Zoom In
Marcus has prepared for the walk through physical activity, detailed planning and support from friends and cancer advocates. He said his outdoor interests and positive outlook had helped him approach the challenge.
“I’ve always been somewhat of an active guy who enjoys time outdoors. Armed with a can-do attitude and a bad case of ‘how hard can it be’ and ‘she’ll be right’, I set off on a 60km bike ride to give a mate a beer,” Marcus said.
That ride taught Marcus how to respond when plans changed and how to continue through difficult moments. “That ride taught me many things, such as adapting when things go wrong. While things may be hard, as long as you can put one foot in front of the other, you can keep moving forward,” he said.
Marcus has also worked with Sony Foundation on scheduling and route planning. Friends and members of the Queensland Youth Advisory Group have supported his preparations.
“Behind the scenes, I have been working out scheduling and planning with Sony Foundation. I have also had much support from friends and the Queensland Youth Advisory Group, which I am a part of,” Marcus said.
On 4 July, Marcus attended the National Youth Cancer Consumer Forum in Sydney. He heard directly from other young adults who had received support through You Can Stay.
“I got to hear from many other young adults just how much of a positive impact You Can Stay had for them and their family,” he said.
Zoom Out
You Can Stay provides free and uncapped accommodation for regional Australians aged 15 to 29 who need city-based cancer treatment. The service also provides accommodation for their families near the treating hospital.
Sony Foundation delivers the program with Quest Apartment Hotels. Ryan-McPhee said the partnership helped reduce both financial and emotional pressure.
“Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay program provides free accommodation for young regional and rural Australians aged 15 to 29, and their families. It supports those who need to travel to the city for life-saving cancer treatment,” she said.
“Delivered in partnership with Quest Apartment Hotels, Sony Foundation has funded more than 45,000 nights through You Can Stay since 2020. This has helped reduce the financial and emotional burden for families. Through Marcus’ Chemo Commute, we hope to provide hundreds more nights of free accommodation for families facing youth cancer,” Ryan-McPhee said.
All money raised through The Chemo Commute will support You Can Stay. This will allow more regional patients and their families to receive free accommodation during treatment.
“Funds raised through Marcus’ Chemo Commute will support Sony Foundation’s You Can Stay program. It will help more regional youth cancer patients and their families access free, uncapped accommodation when travelling for specialised treatment,” Ryan-McPhee said.
She said Marcus had turned a difficult period in his life into practical support for others. “We are incredibly grateful to Marcus for turning his own cancer experience into a powerful opportunity to raise awareness and help other regional families,” she said.
Ryan-McPhee said the campaign represented far more than the distance Marcus would cover. “Marcus’ determination to turn one of the hardest experiences of his life into something that will help other families is truly inspiring. Sony Foundation is grateful to him for this incredible support,” she said.
“By raising funds for our You Can Stay program, Marcus’ Chemo Commute is about more than the kilometres he’ll cover. It’s about helping more regional youth cancer patients and their families access the critical support they need, when they need it most,” Ryan-McPhee said.
What To Look For Next?
Marcus will reach Pittsworth on 3 August before arriving in Toowoomba on Wednesday, 5 August.
He will continue to Gatton on 9 August, Laidley on 11 August and Rosewood on 13 August. He is due to arrive in Brisbane on Monday, 17 August.
The walk will finish at Princess Alexandra Hospital, where Marcus received treatment following his diagnosis at 16.
On Thursday, 20 August, Marcus will attend Sony Foundation’s annual Brissy4Ward fundraising event. He will share his experience with more than 350 guests.
Money raised through the walk and fundraising event could fund hundreds of additional nights of accommodation. These stays will support regional families seeking specialised cancer treatment in the city.
For more information on The Chemo Commute, including how to donate, visit www.sonyfoundation.org/the-
Follow The Chemo Commute on socials:
Instagram: @the_chemo_commute
Facebook: @thechemocommute
