SANFL welcomes Hospital Research Foundation as Charity Partner

March 26, 2025

SANFL is thrilled to welcome The Hospital Research Foundation Group as its official charity partner.

The new partnership will see the SANFL and South Australian footy community back life-changing medical research and improved health care for South Australians, while driving positive health and wellbeing messages.

As part of the new partnership, SANFL will also again lead the Pedal to Fight Parkinson’s event to raise funds for research into finding a cure and treatments for Parkinson’s disease.

Pedal to Fight Parkinson’s was first held in 2019, with the SANFL and Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority getting behind SANFL and AFL great Mark Mickan’s battle against Parkinson’s.

The event was put on hold during the Covid pandemic but returned bigger and better in 2024 as a Hospital Research Foundation initiative – raising more than $116,000.

SANFL CEO Darren Chandler said the SANFL had been inspired to support the broad range of work being done by The Hospital Research Foundation Group after its involvement in Pedal to Fight Parkinson’s in 2024.

“Last year we had almost 30 SANFL staff members and more than 200 people from the football community take part in the Pedal to Fight Parkinson’s event at Adelaide Oval, with over $116,000 raised,” Mr Chandler said.

“This was really a defining moment which showed how powerful football and sport can be as a vehicle for raising awareness and achieving goals which support the work of The Hospital Research Foundation Group.

“We are delighted to be teaming up with the Foundation to use the power of the football community in SA to raise funds and awareness for many devastating diseases and all areas of physical and mental health.”

The Hospital Research Foundation Group CEO Paul Flynn said it was a privilege to partner with such an iconic and community-focused organisation like the SANFL.

“Sport plays a pivotal role in bringing people together and we are proud to partner with the SANFL to shine a light on health and wellbeing, medical research and patient care,” Mr Flynn said.

“The sense of community, mateship, care and culture that was on show for Mark Mickan at the Pedal to Fight Parkinson’s – where people even got up at 2am in the morning to ride a stationary bike at Adelaide Oval – goes to show the strength of this community and what you can achieve when you band together.”

The Hospital Research Foundation Group funds life-changing medical research and patient care services across more than 60 diseases and illnesses, from birth to end of life.

To find out more about the work of The Hospital Research Foundation Group, visit www.hospitalresearch.org.au