On the Coast – Families Issue 103 I December 19/January 20 | Page 24

CANCER COUNCIL GIRLS NIGHT IN
Once upon a time...
410 Coastie women united to slay cancer
T
here was a swarm of Cinderellas,
an entourage of evil queens and
enchanting princesses galore –
when hundreds of women gathered
at Ettalong Diggers last month for the
Coast’s biggest all female fundraiser
of the year – The Cancer Council Girls
Night In, which was this year themed
Once Upon a Time.
With tickets selling out in a record six
minutes, young and old came together in
an extraordinary show of unity to slay
the coast’s biggest cancer killers.
Daphne McNab, 88 who was
diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009,
and is now battling lung cancer, was
graciously smiling and laughing, despite
the battle she was waging within.
“I’ve been coming for four years and
wouldn’t miss it for the world,” says
Daphne.
Emma Lovie, who lost her mum Kim
Steed last year from stage 4 ovarian
cancer, was a first-timer.
“When mum was going through her
battle, we heard a lot about clinical trials
in Sydney and this and that in Sydney.
But there seemed to be a disconnect
when it came to local people getting this
access easily. The great thing about this
event is that all money raised stays on
the coast to go towards cancer research
as well as financial and home help for
local women with cancer.
Above: Live like there is no Midnight! Tracey Mostyn
from St Hubert’s Island (Wicked Stepmother Centre),
with the two stepsisters Drizella (Simone Rich) and
Anastasia (Emma Lovie)
Above: Daphne McNabb, 88, fighting cancer head
on with family and friends
Above: Local heroes, Stacey, Margaret, Belinda
Sonja and Julie started up the event in 2010 after
two mums in their local primary school were
diagnosed with cancer.
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O N T H E C OA S T – FAM ILIES
“It was so moving to see mum in the
tribute on screen at the event, which
sadly included too many young women
and girls too. Mum fostered more than
60 kids over a 15 year period, and was
also the most devoted (and loudest!)
grandmother I know. She would have
loved what this evening was about.
Central Coast Breast and General
Surgeon Dr Mary Ling paid tribute to the
five local mums who raised more than
$135,000 over the past 10 years to fight
breast, ovarian, endometrial, cervical and
other women’s cancers.
Above: Medical Student Sloane Nicholls from
Umina took out best dressed for her self-made
Mad Hatter outfit, while Julie De Lisser was a
close second for Snow White’s Queen Ravenna
outfit (the collar fashioned out of a coat-hanger
and spotlight fabric and a few feathers.)
“These evenings get women talking to
women about screening and prevention
and also raise money to help women
when they need it most. What these five
ladies have achieved is extraordinary.
In this fairy tale, there’s no damsels in
distress waiting to be rescued. Once upon
a time….(yet again!)….Coastie women are
fighting cancer together…The End!”