By Russell Bennett
If women battling breast cancer can lose their breasts in the fight of their lives, Eddie Lewis figures the least he can do in support of their cause is to lose his iconic beard.
Lewis was last seen clean shaven in 1972 and no one who was at Toomuc Reserve on Australia Day watching Pakenham’s Premier clash with Kooweerup would have seen him without his now famous beard.
But now it’s just a matter of days until it comes off in the name of charity at the Pakenham Cricket Club’s Pink Ladies Day, held at Toomuc Reserve on 10 February.
All the money raised will be donated to the McGrath Foundation, which places specialist breast care nurses wherever they’re needed to help make life that little bit easier for individuals and families experiencing the effects of breast cancer.
Lewis, who turns 68 in April and is one of the best batsmen in the history of the West Gippsland Cricket Association, is expecting his grandkids to be in shock when they first lay eyes on him following the shave but he is planning on regrowing the beard.
After all, it’s affectionately known as his ‘Christmas beard’ for when he takes on Santa Claus duties at Lewis family Christmas.
But he holds no fear about getting it shaved off – particularly for such a great cause.
“My wife is more worried about it than me, I think,” he said.
“She’s seen me with a very short beard. I’ve trimmed it short a couple of times and she’s said no – go sleep in the other room!
“Look, a lot of women suffer with breast cancer and then they have to go and see the doctor all the time to make sure everything’s ok, and they could lose a breast or even both.
For me shaving the beard off is nothing, really. Hopefully we raise a bit of money for them because they’re the ones doing it tough.”
The Pakenham Cricket Club has placed donation tins around the town and have opened up a bank account where pledges can be made for the shave. The Bendigo Bank account number is BSB – 633-000, account number 110-759-800, with all donations to be prefixed with ‘Ed Lewis Beard Shave’.
