Walkers urged to step out with a mate in Warrnambool to help find a cure for myeloma

For the inaugural event in 2022, Warrnambool was the biggest in Victoria and raised the most amount of money for the cause in Australia.

Myeloma Australia community engagement and fundraising executive Robert O'Brien said it was a cancer that was not well known, but the 3.8km with a Mate walk aimed to change that. "It is commonly confused with melanoma," he said.

Mr O'Brien said the organisation used the funds to ensure there were more than a dozen support nurses across Australia who provided their services free of charge.

Warrnambool's Bob McMillan, who was diagnosed in 2014, said the funds raised would also go towards research for new treatments.

"It is one of the rarer blood cancers, and that's why they are trying to raise awareness. There is no government funding for research," he said.

"The reason why it's 3.8 kilometres is because there are 38 Australians diagnosed with myeloma each week. We don't want people to have to walk 38 kilometres so we've shortened it to 3.8."

The walk sets off on Sunday, March 5 at 10am from the lawn behind the beach kiosk and costs $20 to register.

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