“We have named the event the ‘Thommo’s – Country Hope Races’ in memory of the former publican Ian ‘Thommo’ Thompson, who passed away last year due to pancreatic cancer,” organiser Darren James told News Of The Area.

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“Thommo was our number one supporter,” he said.

The annual event raises money to help sick kids from the bush get the very best in medical care.

Each year a local Port Stephens team, The Coasties, enters the Riverina Outback Rally, a five-day fundraising bash which takes teams on an adventure from Darlington Point to Grong Grong.

The rally fundraises for Country Hope, a family centred support organisation for children diagnosed with cancer and other life threatening illnesses.

The annual pig racing at Anna Bay is a key part of this fundraising.

According to a report by the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital for Royal Far West, “Children living in rural and remote Australia face inferior health and developmental outcomes relative to their peers living in urban areas.

“There are various co-existing factors, known as the social determinants of health, which significantly contribute to such disparities, including, but not limited to, socioeconomic status and race.”

“Children in rural and remote Australia are not only significantly more likely to face concurrent social, economic and environmental conditions that are known to adversely impact health and development, but they are also significantly more likely to experience lack of access to appropriate services, known to mediate the impact of adversity in early childhood.”

By Marian SAMPSON