Walk for Life – Melbourne

OVERVIEW

Walk for Life is a simple, community-led walk created to support people affected by sudden and unexplained cardiac events — whether that experience is the sudden loss of a loved one, or survival following an unexpected cardiac arrest.

For families and friends, unexplained loss can arrive without warning and leave enduring questions. For survivors, the period that follows can be unsettling in different ways — returning to everyday life while carrying uncertainty about what happened and what it means for the future. Across both experiences, people often describe an unexpected sense of isolation, as though familiar conversations and settings no longer quite fit.

Walk for Life exists to reduce that isolation through something intentionally modest: a gentle, informal gathering where people can walk if they wish, talk if they feel able, or simply be present alongside others who understand. There is no pressure, no expectation, and no requirement to participate in the walk itself.

Walk for Life is not a medical program and not a fundraiser. It is, first and foremost, a support activity. Any awareness that grows from people coming together is a natural outcome, but it follows support — not the other way around.

THE MELBOURNE INAUGURAL WALK – SUNDAY 3 MAY 2026

In 2026, Walk for Life will be held in Melbourne for the first time. The inaugural Walk for Life – Melbourne will take place on Sunday 3 May 2026 and is intended as a welcoming, community-led gathering for individuals, families, and friends who have experienced sudden and unexplained cardiac death, as well as for survivors of unexpected cardiac arrest.

The Melbourne walk is designed to be accessible and unstrenuous. It will start and finish at the same meeting point, with a simple route that allows people to shorten the walk or return early if they wish. People are welcome to attend without walking at all — to sit, talk quietly, or simply spend time in the company of others who understand.

Further details such as meeting point, route distance, and timing will be confirmed closer to the event and will be shared through the Walk for Life website.

ORIGINS AND SHARED ETHOS

The origins of Walk for Life lie in the work of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) in the United Kingdom, whose long-standing focus on sudden cardiac death awareness and family support helped shape the idea of creating simple, inclusive spaces for connection and understanding.

Inspired by this approach, Walk for Life was firs organised in Sydney in 2022. Like CRY UK, from the outset the intention was not to create a formal event, but to offer a calm and respectful space shaped by presence, shared experience and quiet solidarity.

The Sydney walk was first held in November 2022 and then each year since. It brings together families, friends and survivors affected by sudden and unexplained cardiac events.

The inaugural Melbourne walk, to take place in May 2026, is grounded in the same ethos. While each walk is independent, reflecting local communities, all share a common purpose: providing a gentle, inclusive setting where people can come together without expectation, explanation or agenda.

WHO WALK FOR LIFE IS FOR

Walk for Life is open to:

family members and friends who have lost someone suddenly
survivors of unexpected cardiac arrest, and those close to them
people supporting someone affected by either experience
anyone who wishes to attend in a spirit of quiet solidarity

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FOUNDATION SUPPORT

Tom’s Foundation supports the Walk for Life movement by providing practical, non-financial assistance to the Walk for Live - Melbourne initiative, including the establishment and ongoing maintenance of its website.

This support includes:

the purchase and stewardship of domain names to support and protect the initiative
website set-up and design
hosting, basic maintenance, and ongoing running costs

This support is intended to provide a respectful and reliable online home for Walk for Life – Melbourne. The website enables people to learn about the Melbourne walk, access practical details, register interest, and understand the broader Walk for Life approach.

The Walk for Life – Melbourne event itself remains a community-led initiative, independently organised in line with its shared ethos of support, connection and quiet solidarity.