They’re big, black, and bouncy…and impossible to miss. The Neil Evans Melanoma Foundation (NEMF) has unveiled its brand-new ‘melanoma mascots’ at Bondi Beach as part of a bold campaign to raise $25,000 in this year’s Voltaren City2Surf to support Australians managing late-stage melanoma diagnoses and treatments.
A team of enthusiastic young volunteers dressed as giant melanomas will walk the famous 14km route alongside Beat Melanoma’s team of supporters and fundraisers at this year’s sold-out event on Sunday, 10 August.
The initiative is already turning heads and prompting smiles, while shining a spotlight on the disease that is diagnosed every 30 minutes, claims the life of one Australian every six hours, and is the biggest cancer killer of young Australians aged 20-39.
“City2Surf is the perfect event at which to raise awareness of the devastating impact of melanoma in Australia, because it celebrates everything we love about our unique lifestyle: living outdoors, staying active, and being connected to community,” explains Neil’s partner and NEMF Founder, Sonia Nazaretian.
“Yet far too often, that same lifestyle leads to devastation through a melanoma diagnosis.
“Through our Patient Fund, which is administered in collaboration with Melanoma Institute Australia, we support Australians with late-stage melanoma who are facing not just a health battle, but the often crushing financial burden that comes with it.
Neil Evans’ grand vision in his final days
Neil Evans was 44 years old and in the prime of his life when he was diagnosed with an aggressive Stage III melanoma.
For the next three and a half years he received the best possible treatments available, some costing as much as AU$20,000 per month.
Being at the top of his career and able to afford all the options available to him, he questioned how he would feel knowing that treatments were available but not being able to pay for them.
Sadly, Neil lost his battle with melanoma in 2021 and in his final days, spoke of his desire to set up a foundation to enable people with less financial means than himself to have access to the latest treatment options.
NEMF is the manifestation of this wish.
“I promised Neil that our Foundation would help as many melanoma patients as possible have a fighting chance of beating their melanoma,” she continues. “And of course I remember the one time we did the City2Surf together, because I beat him!
$10,000 gift matching campaign now live
A $10,000 dollar-matching campaign is underway, with every donation to NEMF’s City2Surf fundraising efforts being matched by Neil’s UK-based family from now until race day.
Every dollar raised during this time will be matched, doubling the impact for Australians fighting late-stage melanoma.
