Comedy lunch has a serious message

Ron Bright shows Phil Anning a bit of affection, much to the amusement of Derek Blackley. 172245_09

By Russell Bennett

More men die as a result of prostate cancer each year than women of breast cancer.
That was one of the simple facts that hit those in attendance at Friday’s Cardinia-Casey Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch right between the eyes.
The Cardinia Cultural Centre was packed full of blokes of all ages and cross sections of the community, united by one cause – the fight against prostate cancer.
The event, now in its fourth year, was once again an incredible success – raising about $100,000 for the cause, and sending the event’s total so far beyond $330,000 raised in four years.
The 480-strong crowd not only heard the serious side from local footy legend and prostate cancer sufferer Joey Lenders, John Strachan from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Tony De Sousa from St John of God hospital, but was left in hysterics by the likes of comedians Des Dowling, ‘The Suburban Footballer’ Tom Siegert, and ‘The Nelson Twins’ – in addition to MC and auctioneer Dave Whalen.
Patron sponsors Star News Group, Car Megamart and Khans Hospitality Services again jumped on board with a whole host of other local businesses also providing their support.
The Rotary Club of Pakenham slaved away over the barbecue to prepare the meat for the event, while a small army of local ladies put their hands up to wait tables.
Garry Howe, the chairman of the organising committee behind the event, told the room how – since the 2016 lunch – he had lost a mate to cancer. It wouldn’t have been an uncommon story throughout the room.
“The other day I was down at Nine Mile Fresh at Tynong catching up with Robert Thompson – one of our great supporters – and he was talking about losing his father to prostate cancer back in the early 1980s,” Mr Howe said.
“When George was diagnosed a few years before that neither Rob, his mother or any of his family had even heard or prostate cancer.
“What Rob loves about this event is that it’s not only about raising money, but it’s raising the awareness so crucial in helping beat this disease.”
Although Friday’s event was primarily focused on the prostate cancer cause, the organisers also carved off $10,000 of last year’s profit to start up a men’s health grants program through the Casey Cardinia Foundation.
That money would then go towards worthy local projects in the men’s health sphere.
This year half went to the Bunyip Men’s Shed for dust extraction work to make their environment a little more comfortable, while the other $5000 went to the Victorian Council of the Ageing to create some ‘Older Men: New Ideas’ discussion groups in the local area.
Mr Howe said the priority of the lunches would continue to be the quest to beat prostate cancer, but he urged those in the crowd to keep an eye out for worthwhile local men’s health projects as well, as the grants program was set to continue in 2018.
Prostate cancer sufferer Chris McPherson from McPherson Media Group came up with the Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch concept in 2009. Since its beginnings in Shepparton, more than 20,000 people have attended lunches around the country with more than $3 million raised for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Though the lunches are always light-hearted and entertaining, the importance of the prostate cancer awareness message is never lost on those who attend.
Though Mr McPherson passed away in December 2015 aged just 61, his legacy lives on – in part – through the Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch.
The Baw Baw Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch will be held at Lardner Park on 20 October.
According to the Federal Government, more than 16,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed throughout Australia in 2017.
That equates to nearly a quarter of all new male cancer cases, while nearly 3500 prostate cancer sufferers will die from the disease this year.