By Gill Cooper
Clifton Springs’ Pauline Dwyer is honouring her late daughter Belinda Karlos by supporting an education campaign to reduce skin cancer across Victoria.
She has been busy arranging the Belinda’s Legacy Melanoma Research fundraiser to be held at Geelong Ballroom Dance Club in Hamlyn Heights on Saturday 27 October.
Pauline said proceeds from the event would go to Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to help fund research and resources needed to discover cancer cures.
“After Belinda was diagnosed with melanoma in 2012, she worked hard to make others more aware of the importance of sun protection and the consequences of skin cancer,” Pauline said.
“She was a loving mum who died two years ago at 42, leaving her young daughter Ebony. It’s been a very hard time for us all.
“This fundraiser is open to anyone interested in supporting Belinda’s legacy. We’ll have music, dancing, entertainment and raffles to help raise funds for Peter Mac.
“People don’t even have to dance,” she said.
“They can just come along and enjoy the evening – including a latin dance demo and lucky number draws in balloons with great prizes.
“We are very grateful for all the donations from local businesses. There’s a great variety of hampers, vouchers, wine – even office chairs – up for grabs as prizes and we still welcome more donations.”
The local event coincides with the recent launch of Cancer Council Victoria’s new SunSmart campaign featuring Belinda and her family in online, free-to-air TV and radio advertising.
Belinda speaks candidly about having end-stage melanoma and asks parents to be SunSmart for their children and their own health.
New research released by Cancer Council Victoria, showed 88 per cent of parents surveyed said their child is often or always protected from the sun when outdoors in summer.
However, just 37 per cent of those parents reported regularly protecting their own skin.
SunSmart Manager Heather Walker said Belinda’s story reminded parents of a powerful incentive to take better care of their own skin.
Belinda’s Legacy fundraiser in Geelong runs from 7.30pm-11pm. Tickets cost $20. For bookings, phone 0418 584 051.
