IN CONJUNCTION with the Melanoma Institute of Australia’s annual Melanoma March*, local man and stage 4 melanoma survivor Grant Lawrence is organising a fundraiser for research and treatment.
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The support from my doctors, oncologists, nurses, family, work colleagues, bowls mates and friends have helped me through the toughest battle of my life.
- Grant Lawrence
Grant knows all too well the importance of research into the disease after having been diagnosed in 2014. Grant is currently on Keytruda, which is one of the more recent drugs identified in the field of melanoma treatment. It is administered through immunotherapy which is also a recently identified method of treatment.
“The support from my doctors, oncologists, nurses, family, work colleagues, bowls mates and friends have helped me through the toughest battle of my life,” Grant said.
The local fundraiser will be a bowls day, raffle and auction at the Nambucca Heads Bowling Club on February 26 in conjunction with the Fire One for Baxie Day. Everyone is welcome to play with no bowls experience necessary. Cost is $10 per person, including lunch and bowls.
The day will consist of three games of triples over six ends and some lucky prizes in the morning, before a barbecue lunch. The raffle and mini auction will follow – around 1pm.
Some prizes for the raffle and auction include a two night accommodation voucher for two people at Mantra Mooloolaba, and a three-night stay for four people at Breakfree on Collins in Melbourne.
* The Melanoma March is the annual awareness and fundraising initiative by the institute, with different marches held throughout Australia each year.
However, this year is slightly different. Jay Allen, a friend of Grant’s and an eight-year Stage 3 Melanoma survivor, will embark on The Longest Melanoma March, where he will trek over 1200 kilometres in just 20 days.
Jay will start at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, on March 5 and will arrive in Barrangaroo, Sydney on April 4. During the trek, Jay will spend a night in Nambucca Heads on March 15. A number of locals have already volunteered to walk with Jay and his crew from Urunga to Nambucca (or part there of) to help raise money. They plan to arrive in town between 4pm and 5pm and will be billeted by local families.
The Nambucca Heads RSL Club is supporting the march and will supply dinner for those involved. During the night there will be a collection bucket passed around to raise money, and Jay will give a brief talk about his melanoma journey.