CITY Beach resident Shanti Sivaraj is dedicated to enriching the lives of sick kids.
Taking part in this month’s four-day Ride for Sick Kids (RFSK), the father of two described the experience as “rewarding”.
“No pain, no gain,” Mr Sivaraj said.
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READ NOW“It was hard; the wind was very strong.
“But it is nothing compared to what sick children go through.”
Mr Sivaraj, a McDonald’s licensee, has been on the RFSK committee since its inception five years ago.
The 295km ride started at Nedlands-based Ronald McDonald House to Fremantle then to the Swan Valley for the last two days.
All proceeds go to the RMH, which plays a huge role in providing a home away from home whilst children are receiving hospital treatment.
From the start of this year, it has provided 3230 nights of accommodation to families in need.
“In the beginning we didn’t have many people, but now it has really grown,” Mr Sivaraj said.
“We had 25 riders take part and each rider raises a minimum of $3000.
“Over the last five years, we’ve raised nearly $1 million for Ronald McDonald House, which is just great.”
Mr Sivaraj moved from Sri Lanka almost 30 years ago with nothing to his name.
Through his own humbleness, when offered support from the St Vincent de Paul Society, he only took two dinner plates to help his family make their start in a new country.
Motivated to succeed, the two plates remain on Mr Sivaraj’s office walls to this day, as he continues to run successful McDonald’s restaurants in Perth’s north whilst giving back to the community through initiatives like RFSK.
“The secret to living is giving,” he said.
“Giving is better than receiving.”
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