Whether we’ve battled it ourselves or seen friends and family suffer, the devastation is there for all to see

That devastation, and a couple of bottles of red wine, were the genesis for an event so out there, so ridiculous, it might be the most special thing you read about this year.

At the end of October, Dubbo’s Steve Cowley and his good mates Charlie Crossley from Armidale and John Burton from Townsville will leave Brisbane on a 54-day motorbike adventure coined the ‘Compass Run’.

Over the course of the journey they will cover the four points of the Australian mainland compass – Cape York in the north, Steepe Point in the west, Wilson’s Promontory in the south and Byron Bay in the east

But this is no ordinary charitable gesture. Steve and Charlie both have personal experiences with rare cancers, and that is where ‘Without A Ribbon’ comes in.

“Charlie and I were speaking about doing a ride on New Year’s Eve in 2014/15 and at the time my sister was in Gosford hospital with terminal cancer,” Steve said.

“Only a few weeks after that conversation, which started after a couple of bottles of red, my sister passed away.

“We knew she had cancer but we didn’t know what killed her, so I started trolling the internet and that is where I found the organisation Without A Ribbon that deals with these types of illnesses.

“Charlie’s wife had also battled a rare cancer, thankfully she survived, but it’s a cause close to both of us and we thought we would combine the ride with the cause and that is how it was born.”

After liaising with Desiree Fraser, the founder of Without A Ribbon, the groups combined and the Compass Run concept became much more than just an idea.

On October 28 the trio will leave from Brisbane on a journey that will take 54 days, see them visit more than 100 cities, towns and roadhouses and cover approximately 18,400km.

Six of those days will be rest days, but of the 48 days the lads are on their bikes they will be roughing it on unsealed roads.

“There were two ways, an easy way or a hard way,” Steve said.

“The people battling these illnesses have no easy days so we took the hard option and we’ll be doing it with no support crews. Every day will be a battle and that is what life is like for the people we’re trying to support.”

A launch will be held at Vista Lodge Estate on September 3 to kick start the fundraising side of the event.

More information can be found at www.compassrun.com.au or by visiting www.facebook.com/compassrun