Step Up For NF 2026 Wrap Up 

look at what we achieved together

What an incredible month March has been! Thanks to the passion, generosity, and determination of our community, Step Up For NF 2026 has been one of our biggest and most powerful campaigns yet. With 155 individuals and 31 teams, together, we have raised more than $107,000 and brought people across the country together to stand up, speak out and raise awareness for neurofibromatosis.

This challenge has never just been about steps. It’s about showing families living with NF that they are not alone. It’s about starting conversations, building understanding, and proving that when a community comes together, real change is possible.

Whether you walked, ran, rode, donated, shared a post, hosted an event, cheered someone on, or simply helped spread the word - you played a part in this success. And we are so incredibly grateful.

a community that shows up  

This year, we saw families rallying together, workplaces stepping up as teams, community events bringing people face to face, and supporters finding creative ways to make an impact. Every action - big or small - has helped shine a light on NF and bring our community closer together.

We are proud of what this community has achieved. Not just the funds raised, but the awareness created, the conversations started, and the support shown to families who are navigating the daily realities of living with a complex condition.

celebrating incredible efforts

There are so many people who went above and beyond this year, and while it’s impossible to name everyone, we wanted to recognise just a few of the incredible efforts that helped make this challenge so special.

Team Felix, a team of 19 passionate supporters representing two-year-old Felix, have been nothing short of extraordinary. They have raised more than $30,000 and inspired their community every step of the way.

At the end of March, they brought family, friends and supporters together in Hastings, Victoria for a community walk filled with connection, laughter and purpose. With prizes, a BBQ and activities on the day, they created a powerful moment of awareness and support around Felix and the NF community.

Mel Shrimpton is another person we want to acknowledge. Mel wasn’t sure if she would be able to take part this year, as her son Jack is currently going through an incredibly tough time with surgeries due to his NF1. But even during one of the hardest periods for her family, Mel still chose to step up.

She has shown incredible strength, commitment and heart - not just this year, but year after year - and we are so thankful for everything she does to raise awareness and support other families living with NF.

Hans Gang also made a meaningful impact this year, raising funds and awareness and bringing their community together for a walk event in Torquay that saw more than 40 people show up in support of NF.

Happy As Hamish Team created connection and momentum by hosting a trivia event during March and rallying their community to get involved and raise awareness.

A big thank you also goes to the Morgans Sydney team, whose staff stepped up together to support the NF community.

We are incredibly grateful to partners like Morgans, who not only participate alongside us, but also support our work through the Morgans Foundation’s generous contribution and matched giving opportunities during the campaign. Their commitment helps amplify the impact of this community.

The Many Ways People Stepped Up

Some supporters walked every day.
Some organised events.
Some shared their stories.
Some donated.
Some simply showed up and stood beside families living with NF.
And some found beautifully creative ways to contribute.

Bec chose to sew 150 blue and green pocket hearts that will be donated to the Children’s Tumour Foundation to share with children and families living with NF, a simple but powerful gesture of care and connection. 

While Kylie who has NF2, chose a deeply personal way to step up this year, committing to teach 150 Auslan signs, representing the 150 children diagnosed with NF each year. By sharing these signs with family and friends, she turned her own journey into an opportunity to build understanding, connection and awareness.

We also saw incredible dedication from individuals like Charles, who pushed himself to cycle an extraordinary distance of 1000km, and Steppers like Di and Julia, who kept our community inspired by sharing regular updates from their wonderful adventures throughout the month in our Facebook group.

These efforts - and so many others - remind us that stepping up looks different for everyone. But every action matters.

Why This Matters

Living with neurofibromatosis can be overwhelming, isolating and exhausting - not just for the person diagnosed, but for their entire family.

The support generated through Step Up For NF helps ensure that families have somewhere to turn when they need guidance, connection and understanding. It helps us provide trusted information, bring families together, and advocate for greater recognition and support for people living with NF across Australia.

Most importantly, it sends a clear message to every person living with NF:

You are seen. You are supported. And you are not alone.

Thank You to everyone who Stepped Up this year - together, we have raised awareness, built connection and shown the strength of this community.

And that is something truly worth celebrating.