We’re excited to share that START will be entering a team in Round the Bays 2026, and we’re grateful to have David Findlow, father of 21-year-old, Ethan, leading the charge to raise $10,000 for START.
START has played a pivotal role in Ethan’s life, and in the life of his whole family.
“As soon as Ethan learnt to talk it was clear he had a stutter. He soon developed a number of strategies to avoid speaking, especially in public. At home he talked more, but it was slow and effortful. The pauses were long, the repetitions frequent, and we found ourselves silently willing him through every sentence. Conversations were exhausting — for Ethan, and for all of us”
“Ethan was first seen at START when he was four years old and we owe them an enormous debt of gratitude. Therapy helped us understand what stuttering is, and taught us strategies to reduce the stress and pressure that can make stuttering harder. Importantly, it wasn’t all about ‘getting rid of the stutter’. It was about reducing the stress and even shame that can come with it, giving Ethan tools he could use, and encouraging him to talk in all the places where he wanted to”
Ethan attended one-on-one sessions, group sessions and social support events. All of these helped him, and the family, reduce stress, move towards acceptance, and make talking easier. It wasn’t a quick or simple journey. “START wasn’t a quick fix”, says David. “Ethan had sessions on and off for many years and only stopped these when he headed off to university.”
Today Ethan is 21. He still stutters from time to time, usually when he’s relaxed around people he trusts. He’s studying overseas, speaks four languages (the stutter shows up most in English), and has a life full of possibilities ahead of him.
“Our son Ethan, and all of us as a family, owe an enormous debt of gratitude to START. You are a dedicated, passionate, and essential organisation, which is currently short of the funds needed to offer its services. I’m delighted and honoured to be the face of the Round the Bays 2026 team raising money for START. It’s our pleasure to raise money for such a wonderful cause”.
David goes on to say:
“Round the Bays is a big challenge for me. Made bigger by the fact that I’m by no means an athlete. I used to do a bit of running and cycling as a low-grade competitor (and the older I get, the faster I used to be!) Five years ago I had heart surgery. The procedure is called a Bentall and it’s quite a biggie. So after that, any aspirations of becoming a speedy dad were gone. A great excuse not to train too hard!
But I can still ‘run’. Even though the kids call it a senior shuffle, my goal is to complete Round the Bays in under an hour. Knowing that you’ve pledged your hard-earned dollars to START as I run is all the incentive I’ll need. I hope as many people as possible can run or walk for START, raise a whole heap of money and tick off some personal milestones along the way.”
Join Us at Round the Bays 2026
Whether you walk, run, or do your own version of the “senior shuffle,” we’d love to have you with us.
We hope this story gives you a sense of why we’re taking part — and why the work START does matters so much to so many families.
How to enter Round the Bays (with START)
Setting yourself up takes a few minutes, so we’ve put together these step-by-step instructions to make it as easy as possible.
1. Click the link
https://rtbauckland26.grassrootz.com/stuttering-treatment-and-research-trust
This takes you to the START fundraising page
2. Register for the event
- Click Register Now
- Create an account using your email address and a password
3. Choose your event
- Under Sub-event – select Individual Entry (NOT Teams)
- Choose Adult or Child Entry
- Enter your personal details: name, dob, gender, email, phone, address
4. Choose your start group
- Pick the group that best matches whether you are walking or running and your expected finish time
5. Answer the additional questions
- Why you’re participating
- Emergency contact details
- Marketing questions, i.e. receiving updates, training app
6. Join the START Team – IMPORTANT!
When you reach the Teams section:
- Select Yes, add to another existing team
- Select Teams/Groups – Team Members pay for own Entries
- Type Team START
- Select Team START when it appears – this ensures you’re registered to run/walk with and for START. We’ll receive notification that you’ve joined the START team.
7. Add more people (if needed)
Scroll past the merchandise
- Click Add another registrant if you’re registering more than one person, or
- Click Continue
8. Terms & Conditions
- Read and accept the Southern Cross Round the Bays Participants Terms & Conditions
- Click Continue
9. Choose START as your charity partner
Select START and accept the Grassrootz terms and conditions
10. Complete Payment
You’ll then be taken to the payment page. You’re nearly done!
11. Check your confirmation emails
You will receive:
- A confirmation email from Race Roster (your event entry)
- An email from Grassrootz to set up your fundraising page