Walk for Life – Melbourne - A Support Initiative Backed by Tom Aynsley Foundation
Overview
Walk for Life is a simple, community-led walk created to support people affected by sudden and unexplained cardiac events — whether that experience is the sudden loss of a loved one, or survival following an unexpected cardiac arrest.
For families and friends, unexplained loss can arrive without warning and leave enduring questions. For survivors, the period that follows can be unsettling in different ways — returning to everyday life while carrying uncertainty about what happened and what it means for the future. Across both experiences, people often describe an unexpected sense of isolation, as though familiar conversations and settings no longer quite fit.
Walk for Life exists to reduce that isolation through something intentionally modest: a gentle, informal gathering where people can walk if they wish, talk if they feel able, or simply be present alongside others who understand. There is no pressure, no expectation, and no requirement to participate in the walk itself.
Walk for Life is not a medical program and not a fundraiser. It is, first and foremost, a support activity. Any awareness that grows from people coming together is a natural outcome, but it follows support — not the other way around.
The Melbourne Inaugural Walk – Sunday 3 May 2026
In 2026, Walk for Life will be held in Melbourne for the first time. The inaugural Walk for Life – Melbourne will take place on Sunday 3 May 2026 and is intended as a welcoming, community-led gathering for individuals, families, and friends who have experienced sudden and unexplained cardiac death, as well as for survivors of unexpected cardiac arrest.
The Melbourne walk is designed to be accessible and unstrenuous. It will start and finish at the same meeting point, with a simple route that allows people to shorten the walk or return early if they wish. People are welcome to attend without walking at all — to sit, talk quietly, or simply spend time in the company of others who understand.
Further details such as meeting point, route distance, and timing will be confirmed closer to the event and will be shared through the Walk for Life website.
Origins and Shared Ethos
Walk for Life began in Sydney in 2022. The intention was to create a calm, respectful space shaped by presence and shared understanding, rather than formality.
The Sydney walk is independently organised and has been held successfully each year since November 2022.
The Melbourne walk is also independently organised, grounded in the same ethos of support, connection, and quiet solidarity.
Tom Aynsley Foundation’s Support
Tom Aynsley Foundation is supporting this initiative by funding the establishment and ongoing maintenance of a website, including:
purchase of the domains walkforlife.org.au and walkforlife.com.au
website set-up and design
hosting, basic maintenance, and ongoing running costs
This support is intended to provide a stable, respectful online home for Walk for Life – Melbourne, a place where people can learn about the Melbourne walk, access practical details, register interest, and find information about the broader approach, including a link to the independently run Sydney event.
Importantly, both Walk for Life events remain community-led and independently organised. The Foundation’s role is to provide practical backing for the website infrastructure so that the walks can remain simple, accessible, and focused on support to the many impacted by tragedy.
Who Walk for Life is For
Walk for Life is open to:
family members and friends who have lost someone suddenly
survivors of unexpected cardiac arrest, and those close to them
people supporting someone affected by either experience
anyone who wishes to attend in a spirit of quiet solidarity
Please consider making a donation to the Tom Aynsley Foundation.
100% of all donations received are applied directly to the Foundation’s charitable work, supporting sustainable communities and initiatives that respond to sudden and unexplained loss..
Tom's Foundation is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission ABN 65624241505.