Join us for our 4th sports themed Lunch for the Stars event at the spectacular Noah's on the Beach, with Dr Jana Pittman as our guest speaker!

Two times world champion and four times Commonwealth champion in athletics, Jana created Olympic history by becoming the first woman to represent Australia in the Summer and Winter Olympics and this is just a small part of her incredible story.

Knowing all too well that the road to success can be a rollercoaster of triumph, setbacks, injury and defeat, Jana's courage, self-discipline and dedication have inspired many to never give up and to keep following your dreams.

Today, a mother of six, Jana continues to inspire Australians as a doctor and motivational speaker and she will be sharing her remarkable journey of determination and resilience with our MC Garth Russell, alongside some of our young Grow a Star scholarship recipients on the day!

Jana's Story

Two times world champion, four times Commonwealth champion - in the sport of athletics, Jana Pittman personifies resilience and determination. When continual injuries hampered her athletic career and could have signalled retirement, she swapped the track for the ice, joining the Australian women's bobsled team and becoming the first woman to represent Australia in both a Summer (2000, 2004) and Winter (2014) Olympic Games.

Off the track, Jana completed a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery at Western Sydney University in 2019 (graduating with First Class Honours and the university medal) and is now a junior doctor in Women's Health.

She completed a Masters of Reproductive Medicine at the University of New South Wales in 2020 and has initiated her PhD in Obstetrics (focusing on aspects of uterus transplantation).

This busy woman is proud mum to six children:

Cornelis; little sisters Emily and Jemima; Charlie; and most recently, twins Quinlan and Willow.

Having experienced her own personal scare with cervical dysplasia, Jana became an ambassador for the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation. In 2021, Jana was a participant in the gruelling television show SAS Australia on Channel 7. She made it to the last day of the course and was the final female standing among the 18 celebrity recruits, despite having given birth only five and a half months previously.

ABOUT GROW A STAR

Our sporting themed business lunch aims to raise $20,000.00 which will go directly to our Grow a Star program, an innovative, youth mentoring and scholarship program that helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds overcome the financial obstacles that are preventing them from following their dreams.

This first of its kind program was initiated by Home in Place in 2012. Since its launch, the program has assisted hundreds of people to pursue their academic, artistic and sporting goals at grassroots and representative levels.

It is open to any young person between the ages of 10 -18, engaged in education, training or employment who can demonstrate a need for assistance.

We believe that encouraging generational change through empowering young people, has far reaching, long-term, positive effects with the community.

Get your tickets today and help us change the lives of young people in our region today!

Ticket price includes 2 course meal, wine, beer, soft drinks.

MC Michelle Faithfull

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors.

EVENT SPONSORS

HYFLOW PLUMBING SOLUTIONS

AON

BROADLEY SIGNS

IN-KIND SPONSORS

NOAH'S ON THE BEACH

NEWCASTLE WEEKLY

MERCER WINES