Chris Mattner was born in the emergency department of Flinders Medical Centre, a start he said likely shaped his appetite for excitement and challenge.

Ready to take the plunge. Photo: InDaily/Stuart Pool

The CEO of CME Group is one of the InDaily 40 Under 40 Alumni team who abseiled 70 metres from the top of the InterContinental Hotel Adelaide to raise funds for Flinders Foundation supporting research, treatment and patient care.

This year’s Adelaide City Plunge sees sixty-four brave participants – including cancer patients, medical researchers, hospital staff and supporters like Mattner – take the plunge to achieve a fundraising target of $65,000.

“I asked whether I could do it face first to make it extra challenging, but they wouldn’t let me,” he said.

CME Group specialises in the design and construction of stadium lighting, so extreme heights are not new to him.

“With everyone else doing it the normal way, I thought if I can go face first, I can promote that and raise extra money.”

Fundraisers will abseil down the InterContinental. Photo: Unsplash/Vlad Kutepov

His personal target is to raise $5000 in the weeks before and after the plunge and “give his all to the fundraising effort”.

Mattner has a connection to Flinders Foundation’s work; his mother received treatment for breast and two independent small cell lung cancers at Flinders Cancer Clinic before succumbing to the disease in October 2020.

The other members of the InDaily and CityMag 40 Under 40 Alumni team are SHINE SA CEO Holley Skene, Adroit Developers founder Ethan Parsa and Lift Cancer Care Services founder and CEO Lauren Whiting.

Lift Cancer Care Services provides allied health support and exercise medicine treatment to people undergoing cancer treatment.

Whiting, an oncology physiotherapist, said she launched the company after feeling “compelled” to improve service provision and the quality of life and health outcomes of cancer patients.

This was her first time abseiling, although she has skydived when a “little bit younger and a little bit silly”.

“If there’s an opportunity for a new experience, that’s always exciting, and this is supporting a good cause,” Whiting said.

“I don’t fundamentally have a problem with heights, but when I’m standing on top of the building 70 metres up, I might say something different.”

Lauren Whiting is adding abseiling to her extreme sports in the name of fundraising for Flinders Foundation

Whiting had her alumni team members for support at the top, while in the leadup to the plunge fundraising has been her focus.

“I’ve had some really good support – I think when people hear that you’re supporting a cause such as Flinders Foundation, they’re happy to put their hands in their pockets and make a donation,” she said.

“Flinders Foundation in my experience do some really wonderful work of significant value to the community and to people who really need it across all different areas, not just cancer.”

Cheer on the Adelaide City Plunge on Friday, 23 August from 8.30am – 1pm. The InDaily and CityMag 40 Under 40 Alumni team descended at 10am. Support their fundraising efforts here.