• Bridgestone and the Leukaemia Foundation celebrate 40 years of partnership. 

• The affiliation is one of the longest-running corporate charity partnerships, spanning most of the Leukaemia Foundation’s 50-year history.

• Contribution from customers and Bridgestone store network continues to make meaningful impact for Australians living with blood cancer. 

Australia’s most trusted tyre brand, Bridgestone and the Leukaemia Foundation are celebrating an iconic milestone – marking 40 years of partnership and collaboration. The commemoration of the ruby anniversary coincides with Blood Cancer Awareness Month this September, and highlights the longstanding role Bridgestone, its stores, and its customers have played in helping Australians living with blood cancer in accessing vital treatment, support and care.

For four decades, Bridgestone's support has contributed to the Leukaemia Foundation's mission of providing practical, emotional and financial support for people living with blood cancer and their families.

The Bridgestone and Leukaemia Foundation partnership is one of the longest known corporate charity affiliations in Australia and spans the majority of the Leukaemia Foundation’s 50-year existence.

Leukaemia Foundation CEO, Chris Tanti, says that the partnership with Bridgestone showcases the impact that can be achieved when values align.

“We’re so fortunate to have the rich history we do with Bridgestone, and it’s incredible to think that this iconic partnership is celebrating 40 years. They’ve been with the Leukaemia Foundation for most of its own existence!” Mr Tanti said.

“Bridgestone shares our vision, and their unwavering support over four decades has allowed us to continue to deliver and expand services to the blood cancer community that have a significant impact on the way Australians, especially in regional, rural and remote areas, access the care and treatment they need to survive their diagnosis,” Mr Tanti added.

Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand Managing Director, Heath Barclay says the long-standing partnership stems from the DNA of the company and is an extension of the philosophy of Bridgestone Corporation’s founder.

"We're incredibly proud of this 40-year partnership and grateful for the customers, franchise partners, and team members who have made it possible. It is a wonderful example of the values that Bridgestone stands by, and is a demonstration of our mission of serving society with superior quality,” Mr Barclay said.

“Bridgestone’s founder instilled a culture of contributing back to the community, and the Leukaemia Foundation partnership has been a cornerstone of this commitment within Australia. Together, we’ve helped support thousands of Australians and their families through some of life's toughest moments – and this is something our staff and network of stores throughout Australia continue to take pride in,” he added.

Bridgestone’s support of the Leukaemia Foundation has spanned across many initiatives over the 40 years, starting with the provision of branded, volunteer driven patient transport vehicles. Throughout the partnership, Bridgestone has also been involved as the principal partner to Leukaemia Foundation events like the Aussie Muscle Car Run, Light the Night, has funded research grants, participated in major fundraisers like the World’s Greatest Shave and holds naming rights to the Leukaemia Foundation Bridgestone Blood Cancer Centre in Adelaide.

In more recent years, Bridgestone has worked with its national network of Bridgestone Select Tyre & Auto stores and Bridgestone Service Centre locations, donating $2 for every Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus tyre sold throughout Australia towards the Leukaemia Foundation’s accommodation and transport services.

The Leukaemia Foundation and Bridgestone have continued to innovate and evolve their partnership over the years, and in 2021 reimagined a core element of the partnership following a review of the patient transport model and pilot program to offer a more flexible and fit for purpose model.

The enhanced model sees the funds raised through the sale of Bridgestone’s Serenity Plus tyres contribute towards parking, fuel, Uber trips and CabCharge vouchers to assist patients in accessing crucial treatment.

In this past 5 years alone, this has benefited more than 2,000 patients through transport services, as well as contributed more than 190,000 nights of accommodation in Blood Cancer Centres throughout Australia. This includes more than 44,000 nights for over 400 families at Adelaide’s Leukaemia Foundation Bridgestone Blood Cancer Centre since it opened in 2013.

The partnership has helped enable the Leukaemia Foundation to provide patient transport and accommodation services, ensuring people can travel to access life-saving treatment regardless of where they live.

According to Mr Tanti, the support Bridgestone’s partnership provides is even more important for Australians living outside metropolitan centres. 

"Our partnership with Bridgestone has helped us provide practical support when people need it most. Whether it's getting a patient to treatment, providing accommodation close to hospital, or reducing the financial burden associated with care, this support has helped thousands of Australians over the past 40 years, and we are excited to see how far we will go in the future," he said.

For Australians living with blood cancer in regional, rural and remote communities, accessing treatment can mean travelling hundreds or even thousands of kilometres from home. The financial, practical and emotional burden of this travel can place significant pressure on patients and their families at an already difficult time – highlighting the need for the support that Bridgestone, its network and its customers provide.   

“Throughout Blood Cancer Awareness Month in September, we have been highlighting the cost of cancer, and the partnership with Bridgestone is a considerable initiative that helps to offset this cost for regional, rural and remote Australians living with blood cancer,” Mr Tanti added.

The milestone celebrates not only the longevity of the partnership but also the collective contribution of the Bridgestone network of stores, employees and customers who have helped drive positive change across generations.

“Forty years is a long time, but behind that number are thousands of people and families who have been supported through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. That is what makes this partnership so meaningful to Bridgestone,” Mr Barclay added.

“It reflects the generosity of our customers, the commitment of our store network and the belief our people have in giving back to the communities we serve.”

To support Australians living with blood cancer, visit the Leukaemia Foundation website.