KIF1A Named Official Charity of Hi-Tec Oils Super Series

This weekend at Queensland Raceway, the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series will proudly support its official charity the KIF1A Australia Foundation.

Round 4 of the Super Series, The Fight in the Night, could not have a more fitting charity partner, as fighting is exactly what the KIF1A Australia Foundation does every day for children living with this devastating disease.

The Bigger Picture — Childhood Dementia

In Australia, 1 in 2,900 children are born with a genetic condition that, if untreated, leads to childhood dementia — a group of rare neurodegenerative disorders causing progressive disability and early death. Tragically, half of affected children die before the age of 10.

Despite being as common as motor neuron disease and as deadly as childhood cancer, childhood dementia receives far less research attention and 12 times fewer clinical trials.

One severe form, KIF1A-Associated Neurological Disorder (KAND), is caused by a faulty gene that disrupts the KIF1A protein which is essential for brain cell communication and normal cognitive function. Children with KAND lose memory, vision, movement, and speech, often suffer from untreatable seizures, and face shortened, severely limited quality lifespans.

Misdiagnosis is common — nearly one-third are wrongly diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to limited access to genetic testing. There is currently no cure, and existing treatments offer little relief.

Raising Awareness & Funds

During The Fight in the Night and in the weeks following, the Super Series will run a Scan & Win competition to raise funds for KIF1A research. Thanks to Hi-Tec Oils, Bowden’s Own, and the Super Series, more than $1,400 in prizes are up for grabs.

To enter, simply scan the QR code at the event, donate using the code HTOSS, and go into the draw. Winners will be announced on 31 August at 12:00pm AEST.

Summer’s Story

“There are only 23 children in Australia and around 550 worldwide — and our daughter is one of them,” said David Harris.

David and Jeanette Harris founded the KIF1A Australia Foundation after their youngest daughter, Summer, now aged 4, was diagnosed.

“KIF1A is relentless. Over time, nerve cells in the brain and nervous system become damaged and die. Most children lose the ability to walk and talk, many go blind, and it’s an incredibly disabling and heartbreaking disease,” David explained.

Why Funding Matters

David and Jeanette launched the Foundation to fund research in the hope of finding a treatment or cure.

“Our goal is to discover medicine — whether TGA-approved or gene therapy — that can stop the degeneration caused by KIF1A. It may not happen in our lifetime, but we have to try.

The KIF1A Australia Foundation works to raise awareness, fund critical research, and support affected families. Research is our only hope to slow or stop the disease, and we urgently need funding to give children with KIF1A more time and a better quality of life.

The potential impact of KIF1A research goes far beyond the small number of children currently diagnosed. In 2024, an estimated 421,121 Australians were living with Dementia.

Why KIF1A Research Matters for Everyone

KAND is a rare form of childhood dementia, but the science behind treating it could change lives far beyond the 23 Australian children currently diagnosed.

KAND damages the brain by disrupting the way nerve cells transport and use vital materials — a problem also seen in many adult dementias, including Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia.

If researchers can find a way to protect or repair these nerve cells in KAND — through gene therapy, targeted drugs, or other treatments — the same approach could be adapted to help millions of people living with dementia worldwide.

By funding KIF1A research, we’re not just fighting for a handful of children — we’re opening the door to discoveries that could benefit the entire dementia community.

“For our daughter, it’s an awful diagnosis. She can’t walk independently, she can’t talk, and she will eventually need a wheelchair. Every day is a challenge to meet her needs and manage our lives,” Jeanette said.

A Platform for Change

The Super Series partnership provides a vital opportunity to spread the word.

“Being part of a televised motorsport series gives us the chance to reach thousands of people,” David said.

“We’re working with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Victoria, and alongside a small group of researchers in America. Beyond them, there’s no one else in the world researching KIF1A.”

To support the fight against KIF1A, scan, donate, and share the message. Together, we can help give these children a chance.

To help raise money for the research of KIF1A through the KIF1A Australia Foundation, donate using this link - https://www.kif1a.org/get-involved/donate/

Round 4 of the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series, the Fight in the Night at Queensland Raceway will be held from August 15-17.

Ticket prices start at $25 on Saturday, $30 on Sunday or a weekend pass costs just $55, with Friday entry free.

The Hi-Tec Oils Super Series can be viewed via the livestream through its official YouTube Channel from 11am AEST on Saturday and 10am Sunday.

SBS On-Demand, Fox Sports and Kayo will also feature coverage between 1pm and 5pm AEST on both Saturday and Sunday.