This November, Australians can add colour to their lives with healthy fresh produce while giving hope to patients with Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes for Maddie’s Month.

Flavorite, Australia’s largest glasshouse grower of fresh fruit and vegetables, is donating 15 cents from every pack of specially marked tomatoes and capsicums sold exclusively at Coles supermarkets to Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision during Maddie’s Month up to a maximum of $100,000, funding vital research and support for patients and families suffering from Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.

Named in honour of Maddie Riewoldt who lost her fight with a Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome called Aplastic Anaemia, Maddie’s Month has raised an outstanding $700,000 since 2016, thanks to the generosity of Flavorite, the support of Coles and their customers who get behind this great campaign each year.

This year, the campaign aims to raise another $100,000 for research, patient and family support, while raising awareness of Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.

Every three days, an Australian is diagnosed with a Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome. Distressingly, most of them are children and young adults, and 50% will not survive. Patients can spend years enduring bone marrow transplants, regular blood transfusions and ongoing treatments, while 15% will develop related conditions such as blood cancer. As these conditions are rare, many patients and families feel overwhelmed, isolated and in need of help when they receive a diagnosis and throughout treatment.

When patients don’t respond to existing therapies there aren’t many options available, which makes campaigns like Maddie’s Month essential for finding new treatments and ultimately a cure.

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Nick Riewoldt, AFL great, media personality and Maddie’s Vision co-founder says the funds raised from the eight-year partnership with Flavorite have been a game-changer for patients and families. “Maddie’s Vision is the only organisation in Australia dedicated to supporting patients and families living with Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes. Thanks to Australians getting behind us for Maddie’s Month and our partners at Flavorite and Coles, we can fund vital research while providing the support patients and families desperately need. But there is still so much more to do to improve patient outcomes, and we won’t stop until there is a cure.”

Mark Millis, co-founder of Flavorite and the man behind establishing the collaboration between Flavorite and Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision lost his battle with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer in 2019. The Flavorite team continue to drive Mark’s vision and legacy in their 8th year of this special campaign. Tom Millis, Flavorite’s Marketing Manager and one of Mark’s five sons encourages all Australians to get behind this great cause, support Australian farmers and to eat more fruit and vegetables. “By purchasing our tomatoes and capsicums, you can make a real difference to someone else’s life and improve your health at the same time! Consumers can also ‘scan and win” to go into the draw to win great prizes like a private chef dining experience or premium Weber Baby Q gas barbecue.”

Coles Group General Manager Corporate and Indigenous Affairs Sally Fielke encouraged customers to support Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision by buying specially-marked Flavorite tomatoes and capsicums at Coles.

“Coles is proud to support Flavorite and Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision once again this November.  Funds raised at Coles over the past seven years have already had such a huge impact on Aussies affected by Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes, and we hope our customers can continue to get behind this cause by purchasing a participating Flavorite product during Maddie’s Month.”

Maddie’s Month has made an incredible impact on research, support and outcomes for people impacted by Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.

Maddie’s Month kicks off on November 1 in Coles stores nationwide.

#MaddiesMonth #FightLikeMaddie #flavourforlife #ColourYourLife

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