Wilderness Motorhomes is a family business through and through, so when they lost one of their long-standing employees to cancer, everyone felt the impact deeply.

Leeza had been with the company since it was founded more than 20 years ago and was a much-loved member of the team.

“Following Leeza’s diagnosis at the end of 2023, her condition deteriorated rapidly,” explains Mary Hamilton, one of the directors of Wilderness Motorhomes. “The team was devastated to lose such a valued colleague so quickly.”

A few months later, a group of Wilderness staff entered a team into Round the Bays. What started as a fun day out soon became a powerful way to honour Leeza’s memory — by raising funds for Cancer Research Trust New Zealand.

“By supporting cancer research, they hoped to reduce the chance of other families going through the same loss in the future,” Mary says.

In the lead-up to the event, the team shared their fundraising page with friends and family, who generously sponsored their efforts. And in a strong show of support, the company matched every dollar raised.

On the day, the team of 25 employees and their family members proudly wore Wilderness T-shirts. One team member even wore a special shirt with Leeza’s name on the back as a reminder of why they were there.

After the run, they presented the shirt to Leeza’s two daughters — a touching moment to reflect on their loss and the contribution they were making to cancer research in Leeza’s name.

The Wilderness Motorhomes team have now taken part in two Round the Bays events, raising close to $3,000 for innovative cancer research.

“It will definitely be an annual event going forward,” says Mary. “It’s a great way to have fun while making a real difference to cancer outcomes.”

Thank you team Wilderness, for raising vital funds for cancer research — and for honouring Leeza in such a beautiful way.