I started this Blog 20 years ago and have posted pretty much around once a week almost ever since.
I say almost as this is my first post since 4 January, a precise four-month period of absence without leave, for which I apologise.
Readers may already suspect the reason. From the very start, my tagline for this platform was ‘Up close and personal in travel retail’ and I think I have largely honoured that mantra with a mix of the challenging, the observational, the humorous and the sad.
The trouble is that since 9 August last year, this Blog became just about as close and personal as it’s possible to be. The Blog post that day was, in fact, not written by me but by my daughter Sinead, The Moodie Davitt Report Chief Operating Officer.
Sinead pictured outside The Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she was treated through the latter half of 2025. Click on the image to read her Blog.
As you probably know, that Blog featured a brave and courageous revelation from an unassuming young woman (40) who always liked to avoid any public limelight. But this was different. Sinead wanted to announce her own personal pushback against a bully that had entered into her life and that of her family – a loving husband and two beautiful kids of (then) 4 and 2.
The bully, of course, was cancer. And it took just about the biggest and ugliest shape possible in the form of Stage 4 Nut Carcinoma lung cancer, a rare and almost certainly terminal expression of this damned disease.
In that Blog, Sinead not only expressed her determination to fight the horrid, ugly, brutal bully with everything she possessed but that she – not cancer – would define her own karma. She also outlined her wish to create a campaign to raise visibility and funds for cancer research. And so #KickCancerThon, the travel retail fundraising and visibility campaign for cancer research, was born.
Click on the image for the latest #KickCancerThon updates
Perversely, the campaign officially kicked off on 1 February, the very day that Sinead lost her fight. I still struggle with that seemingly fateful collision of dates. And, in truth, I have struggled to write anything ‘up close and personal’ since. Now, four months on, is the time to restart.
{We played this short and moving tribute to Sinead at the start of The Trinity Forum in February, which I was unable to attend due to her passing days earlier. It is an excerpt from Marietta’s Lied, part of Die Tote Stadt by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and sung by Kiri te Kanawa, the great soprano from New Zealand, Sinead’s and my birthplace}.
We bade farewell to Sinead on a poignant and loving day in South Wales on 23 February. Sinead’s life was honoured by past and present Moodie Davitt Report colleagues and many friends from the travel retail community. I am pictured above with (from left) Claire Wates, Bob Wilby, Robbie Gill, Jonathan (Chaps) Holland, Kristyn Branisel, Susan Whelan, Catherine Bonelli, Breeda McLoughlin, my wife Yu Lim Lee and Damien Fox, while below The Moodie Davitt Report Publisher Irene Revilla joins us, having swapped photography duties with Bob Wilby. Others, including Dermot and Michelle Davitt, Matt and Victoria Willey, David Spillane, Barry Geoghegan, Karl Marnane, Bob and Ulana Knowles, Sarah Genest and Colleen Morgan took the long trip to Craig y Nos, in Pen-y-cae to support our wider family.
After months spent in Wales and continental Europe during the latter stages of Sinead’s illness, I am back on Hong Kong terra firma, as busy as ever not simply on ‘The website that never sleeps’ – which, I am proud to say, has never missed a beat over the past difficult ten months – but even more so on #KickCancerThon.
The campaign that Sinead conceived has taken on an extraordinary life form of its own, as you will see from the images below.
A final moment of reflection in Ystradgynlais, Wales before the long journey homeFirst through Heathrow Airport Terminal 4, where World Duty Free and Hennessy Cognac were celebrating the Year of the Horse in gloriously rich red style
Then through Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar and a beautifully understated, culturally rich celebration of the Holy Month of Ramadan
Home is nearing. A beautiful shot of Discovery Bay, Hong Kong from my Qatar Airways flight.And there in the distance, spread out majestically into the South China Sea, is Hong Kong International Airport…… where, both airside (above) and landside (below), vibrant Year of the Horse celebrations were taking place
And then it was time to complete my own #KickCancerThon, both on the home treadmill with my highly apposite backdrop and (below) around the lovely walkways of Discovery Bay where the Bougainvilleas are in full bloom
Almost every day over recent months I have received messages of support regarding Sinead or news of #KickCancerThoninitiatives as the worldwide travel retail community turned her vision of a true ‘global + local’ campaign into reality.
Teams from Lagardère Travel Retail, alone, participated in some 25 countries, and I’m still playing catch-up on reporting these amazing examples of our industry’s immense community spirit and deep humanity.
The redoubtable Aer Rianta International (ARI) Middle East Head of Planning & Design Tracy Ross and her ARI Middle East colleagues and certain business partners went on a 58km ‘virtual’ hike from Lukla Airport (Tenzing-Hillary Airport) – the starting point for treks towards Mount Everest Base Camp – to raise awareness and funds for Bahrain Cancer Society.Every good mountain ascent needs an anthem, right? And boy, does the ARI Middle East have a good one. Click on the icon to listen via Suno.com. An excerpt follows below.
ARI ME’s ‘Mission Anthem’ (written before Sinead’s passing but just as relevant today)
By now you’ve all seen Moodie’s mission, Heard Sinead’s story, her fire, her fight. A road no-one ever chooses, But she’s still fighting, still full of light. This illness touches so many, Family, friends, far and wide. So we lace up, we show up, And turn our footsteps into hope
(Pre-chorus)
Hands up, hearts open, here we go, This is bigger than me or you. We won’t just watch from the sidelines… We’re walking this walk with you.
(Chorus)
Sinead we are all with you in spirit, As we set off, feel the rhythm, feel it move. We walk the walk, we fight the fight, Every single step says, “We’re with you.” From Lukla up to the skyline, To Everest touching the blue, Step by step, breath by breath, We’re walking this walk with you.
From Kathmandu to Lukla Airport Where the world feels wild and new. Fifty-eight kilometres of purpose, Every mile saying, “We’ve got you.”
Twenty-eight days of motion, Of turning hope into footsteps Every step a celebration, Every heartbeat louder now.
Attitude meant altitude for King Power Group (Hong Kong) Chief Executive and Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association President Sunil Tuli, who raised a hugely impressive US$30,524 by completing a daunting Himalayan trek
I have also struggled to reply to the hundreds upon hundreds of goodwill messages I have received over the past difficult months.
I am sorry if for any reason I have not got back to you but the truth is I have been overwhelmed. That does not diminish the immense gratitude I feel to each and every one of you who has been in touch.
And so, it’s time to get up close and personal in travel retail again. ‘The website that never sleeps’ may at no time have paused for rest but The Moodie Blog, I’m delighted to say, is out of hibernation. ✈
IMAGES OF #KICKCANCERTHON, AN EXTRAORDINARY TESTAMENT TO TRAVEL RETAIL’S COLLECTIVE HUMANITY AND TO A COURAGEOUS YOUNG WOMAN’ S MEMORY
One of the great shots of #KickCancerThon as the Dubai Duty Free leadership, team and friends turn out en masse to support the campaign and raise funds for theAl Jalila Foundation in DubaiOf all the enduring images from #KickCancerThon, this one (taken by Travel Markets Insider Publisher Lois Pasternak, a cancer patient and survivor herself) ranks among the most memorable. The gulls appear to be flying in squadron in honour of Sinead. It was taken during the IAADFS-supported Hollywood 5K Walk/Run and Kite Fly, co-hosted with GO2 for Lung Cancer in Florida.
To me, this is the most powerful and poignant image of #KickCancerThon. TFWA Dailies Publisher Paul Hogan ran his own personal #KickCancerThon from his son Max’s home in Angel-Islington, London to his house in Cowden, Kent – a distance of 52km and officially an ‘ultra marathon’. Paul completed this daunting feat in dual honour of his own daughter Brontë (Bron), who passed in 2011 aged just 12, after a harrowing five-year battle with leukaemia, and our own dear Sinead. The photo shows Paul stopping outside Biggin Hill Memorial Chapel to pray for Sinead and Bron. He is wearing Bron’s precious running medal.A flashback to 2013: But sometimes out of darkness emerges light {Click on the image to read The Moodie Blog}This must rank as one of the great settings for #KickCancerThon, courtesy of Lagardère Travel Retail Croatia and Slovenia. Team members are shown in front of Predjama Castle, the world’s largest cave castle, an impregnable medieval marvel that has been perched in the middle of a 123-metre-high cliff for more than 800 years.In honour of Sinead’s memory and to support the vital fight against cancer, DFS corporate team members in Hong Kong and Singapore exchanged businesswear for pink garb and participated in a sports activity of each team’s choice – running, walking, cycling, dog walking and more. The travel retailer generously made a sizable donation to Maggie’s Cancer Caring Center in Hong Kong.A stunning Singapore backdrop as the hard-working DFS Singapore Human Resources department proves to be in the pink of conditionThe DFS Spirits, Wine & Tobacco, Food & Gifts team (and a CSR-minded canine companion) head out on the beautiful Tai Tan Country Trail in Sai Kung, Hong KongAin’t no mountain high enough: EVERRICH Duty Free President Kevin Chiang (centre in yellow accompanied by his two children) and team members take #KickCancerThon to new heights. Qixing Mountain’s main peak stands at an elevation of 1,120 metres and is the highest point in Taipei City.Members of the EVERRICH Duty Free team in Taiwan who cycled for #KickCancerThon gather for a celebratory photo with the most timely and appropriate of overhead backdropsClaire Ma (left) and colleague Liu Liang-Tsen celebrate their successful ascent of Mount Jade (3,952 metres, Taiwan’s highest peak) while simultaneously promoting #KickCancerThon and EVERRICH Duty Free’s deep commitment to social causes against a wondrous panoramic backdrop of Yushan National ParkLeading travel retail agency WePurple displayed its multi-disciplinary excellence and innovation with a global fundraising event that resulted in £3,000 (US$4,000) being raised for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The campaign spread the #WEPURPLETHEWORLD spirit (and hue) across six WePurple locations.On 12 February Mondelez World Travel Retail (WTR) announced an extraordinarily generous and creative initiative in support of #KickCancerThon, by donating US$1 for every bar of the new limited-edition Toblerone Pink Crush sold through Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International AirportThe delectable and beautifully packaged exclusive duly sold out and US$6,000 was donated to the causeAzzurra One Enterprise, the outstanding Australian airport retail promotional agency, supported Chris O’Brien Lifehouse– an acclaimed Sydney-based independent, comprehensive cancer centre – in aid of #KickCancerThon. Azzurra One Enterprise Founder & Executive Director Toni Martello organised a 10km walk from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour as she and the company’s friends, families and business partners showed the proud beating heart of Australia’s travel retail community.The event raised an astonishing A$31,106.56 (US$21,797) for a fine local cancer cause. Note the beautiful messaging on the giant cheque.The Avolta Mexico crew proudly participated in the third annual ‘Cancer Warriors Marathon’ held in Mexico City. Cancer Warriors of Mexico is a non-profit organisation focused on improving the quality of life of patients diagnosed with cancer through the concept of patients’ advocacy. An impressive 27 Avolta team members clocked up 92km in a triumph of commitment, solidarity and true teamwork.Dubai-headquartered International Diplomatic Supplies completed an amazing team effort to support #KickCancerThon, collectively running, walking and rollerblading not just one marathon but a remarkable eightThe Flemingo Duty Free Colombo team raised 1 million Sri Lanka Rupees for the Cancer Charitable FoundationReflecting the collaborative and symbolic spirit of #KickCancerThon, each participant from The Bluedog Group’s route was designed to form a letter or symbol, with the combined activities spelling out: ‘In Memory of Sinead Moodie’. How beautiful is that?The Song-family-owned Plaza Premium Group connected the world in its trademark ebullient, impassioned style in support of #KickCancerThon, organising charity runs, walks and cycling activities across its Hong Kong, Brazil and London offices. More than 180 team members collectively logged 700 kilometres, with all donations directed to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Leading from the top: (from left) Plaza Premium Group Co-Founder & CEO Song Hoi Song; Co-Founder & Executive Director Linda Song; Chief Transformation Officer Mei Mei Song; and Chief Commercial Officer Jonathan Song all stride out in style.King Power Duty Free hosted a ‘Pink Power Charity’ day in late January in support of #KickCancerThon and Thanyarak Breast Center & Foundation at King Power Rangnam, Bangkok as part of the company’s tremendous support of #KickCancerThon. The event was held in front of this giant cast of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Founder and long-time Chairman of King Power Duty Free, so tragically killed in a helicopter crash at Leicester City Football Club (which he owned) in October 2018.I was delighted to join senior representatives from AOT Ground Aviation Services Co, King Power Duty Free, The Moodie Davitt Report and Thanyarak Breast Center & Foundation in supporting the eventLet it snow, let it snow, let it snow: Lagardère Travel Retail’s Czech Republic team completed their #KickCancerThon in memorable fashion on a beautiful winter’s dayCzechmate: Dominika brought along her trusty canine companion for the occasionLagardère Gambia’s elite #KickCancerThon team turned out in styleLagardère Travel Retail team members stepped out for #KickCancerThon at Old Stadium, Phnom Penh; Pictured (centre) are Malyny and (right) Raksa and Sreyneth at The Independence Monument of CambodiaJust like the country’s famous rugby team, it was a case of all black for Lagardère Travel Retail in Auckland, New Zealand (Aotearoa). The t-shirt mantra summed up the team spirit as they gathered on Maungawhau (Mount Eden) with Waitematā Harbour in the background. Sinead Moodie was a proud Kiwi, having been born in Christchurch (like me).Team members (including Founder & CEO Sally Alington, fourth from left, front) from Ethos Farm, the acclaimed UK agency specialised in elevating Employee Experience and Customer Experience, walked from one Westfield shopping centre in London to another (Stratford to White City) to support The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. (Above) Their journey was highlighted by being greeted with a rapturous welcome by The Royal Marsden Hospital team in London.What a wonderfully joyous (and no doubt relieved) shot as Essential Communications Founder & Editorial & Key Accounts Director Row Holland nears the end of the hugely testing Royal Marsden Brighton to Eastbourne Marathon Walk on 2 MayAs #KickCancerThon gathered extraordinary momentum across the travel retail community, The Moodie Davitt Report team came together in a powerful display of solidarity to honour their beloved late colleague Sinead. The Davitt family (from left, Michelle, Aoife, Ciara and Dermot), pictured on a rare sunny Galway day (surely a photoshop job by Dermot) in their #KickCancerThon garb, took a multi-disciplinary approach (swimming, running, cycling and walking) to the task. This was split between home in Galway (up and down the city’s famous Promenade as well as in the local leisure pool which doubles daily as an ice rink) and the girls’ respective universities in Dublin (the Trinity College gym for Aoife, UCD’s 50m pool for Ciara).The Moodie Davitt Report Chief Sub-Editor Leanne Farnell hosted a fundraising event for #KickCancerThon at her local Rugby Club in Milton Keynes, UK. Leanne takes up the story: “What do you do when you’re unable to take on the marathon distance yourself due to injury in support of #KickCancerThon? You enlist a team of willing and able rugby players, of course.” And one just happened to be on hand, for as well as keeping The Moodie Davitt Report’s team of writers in grammatical shape, Leanne is also Manager of her son Harry’s rugby team. This inspiring group of ten and 11-year-olds from Milton Keynes RUFC duly stepped up to tackle the marathon distance with determination, verve and fundraising success.Come on you Bees: To honour his late sister Sinead, our Head of Digital Delivery Declan Moodie completed two 12.4 mile walks from his house in Egham, Surrey to Gtech Community Stadium, home to his team Brentford Football Club. Click on the image to read how Hong Kong-based Global Drinks Limited Founder Harry Kartasis, wine & spirits entrepreneur and restaurateur extraordinaire, entered into the spirit of the occasion with the most innovative Taco ever invented, served up with panache and the warmest hospitality possible at his El Gordo restaurant in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
