Brain cancer is one of the most underfunded cancers in Australia and each year the number of people diagnosed with brain cancer is increasing. Katelyn Benn’s father Jack was diagnosed last year and with her partner they have seen firsthand how much more is needed.
Funding for research is crucial, so Katelyn and Brodie decided to put together an event to raise money for the Mark Hughes Foundation. A charity fight night, Brawl for Brain Cancer on August 2nd at the Singleton Civic Centre.
“Dad has worked in mining for 43 years at the one site which is now known as Hunter Valley Operations. He finished up working his 12 hour shifts when he was diagnosed last year,” said Katelyn.
“When dad was first diagnosed there were two Mark Hughes Foundation nurses at the John Hunter Hospital who supported them through the journey of what to expect, where to get support, everything they needed.
“So that’s why we wanted to raise money for them to help contribute to further research because unlike other cancers there’s no preventative diagnosis. Most of the time when you speak to people, and they discover they have brain cancer it’s an incidental finding. My dad had a few days of headaches, and he was diagnosed after that.”
Katelyn’s partner Brodie said they told Jack they wanted to do some sort of fundraiser, and he could choose between a charity golf day and a fight night.
“We asked Katelyn’s dad Jack which he would prefer, and the boxing day struck a chord with him. Of course he chose the hard one,” laughed Brodie.
“We think we can get more people involved with the fight night, as the Civic Centre holds up to 500 people and are aiming to get a few sponsors, corporate tables, have an auction. On the night we’re aiming to have 15 fights. We want to get a few miners from different sites, some local footy clubs like Cessnock and Kurri Kurri, and professional fighters who are fighting for their records.
“I think it’ll draw a crowd! I’m jumping in the ring too; I haven’t fought for about 12 years. I was well and truly retired, but this event will be well worth it!”
Katelyn said her dad is part of a clinical trial and is about to finish up his last month of chemotherapy.
“He’s a trooper, he has done six weeks of radiation and six rounds of chemo, then continues the clinical trial drug while they keep an eye on the tumor every eight weeks. He’s such a positive person, if you ever met him, you wouldn’t even know anything is wrong!
“He doesn’t stop he hates sitting still. It’ll be so exciting to have him at the fight night.”
Brodie runs a contracting company, Brown Contracting Solutions. The business kicked off in 2021 and is the major sponsor of the Brawl for Brain Cancer fight night.
| To get involved as a sponsor or a fighter on the night contact Brodie: brodie@browncontractingsolutions.com.au For information on Brawl for Brain Cancer and to get your hands on tickets head to the event’s Facebook and Instagram page. |
