27 June, 2021. Five years. A milestone that carries with it a lot of grief, along with an opportunity to renew our purpose, momentum, and commitment to Neil’s legacy, and his vision for the work we do every day at the Neil Evans Melanoma Foundation (NEMF) and Beat Melanoma in his memory.
Diagnosed at just 44 with an aggressive Stage III cancer, Neil spent three and a half years throwing everything he had at this terrible disease with the support of his oncologist Professor Georgina Long OA at Melanoma Institute Australia.
Some months, his treatment was costing him as much as $20,000. Fortunately for Neil, he had the resources to pursue every treatment option available to him. Many thousands of Australians do not.
And so, in his final months, Neil’s thoughts characteristically turned to others: ‘What about all the people fighting this disease without access to the same financial resources I have?’
That question became our foundation.
Neil’s wish became our mission.
Remembering Neil Evans
Neil was many things to many people. To his colleagues at Macquarie, he was a much-loved friend, a trusted professional, and a charismatic presence in boardrooms and on the sidelines of his much-adored Manly Sea Eagles. To those in his wider circle, he was the kind of person who made everyone feel like they mattered.
Neil was also a beloved son, brother, and uncle, and NEMF owes a continuing debt of gratitude to his family for their continued moral and financial support for our work, tireless fundraising, and advocacy for melanoma awareness both here and in the UK.
“Five years feels like an eternity and no time at all,” says Sonia Nazaretian, Neil’s partner and NEMF Founder. “So this year’s anniversary is an important chance for us to pause together, to really feel our grief, and then to use it; to regroup, to refocus, and to re-energise. To remind ourselves why we started, and who we’re doing this for.”
The need is real…and growing
Last week, a powerful personal essay published in The Conversation laid bare what so many melanoma patients already know: in Australia’s so-called universal healthcare system, a cancer diagnosis can be just the beginning of a long, sometimes prohibitively expensive, treatment journey.
Crippling treatment side effects, ongoing changes to PBS-subsidised medicines, and additional access challenges for rural and regional cancer patients are realities that people in our community confront every day.
“This is exactly why Neil’s mission still matters so deeply,” says Sonia. “The system has gaps, and real people — people just like Neil — fall through them. So NEMF and Beat Melanoma exist to help close those gaps, one patient at a time.”
“We will not look away from these realities. And we will keep showing up for Australian patients who deserve every possible chance to fight.”
Rallying for ‘$26K in 2026’
This August, our team will be hitting the pavement at City2Surf as part of our ‘$26K in 2026’ fundraising campaign — a number chosen to reflect both the year and the scale of the challenge ahead.
We are deeply grateful for the support of our incredible partners making this possible!
Novon, led by NEMF Board member Dom Dufaur, has stepped up again with generosity and commitment. Q5 — a founding supporter of the Neil Evans Melanoma Foundation — continues to champion this important cause. And Macquarie Past & Present, representing Neil’s former employer and his colleagues and extended professional network who loved him, are running to remember Neil.
“Having Neil’s Macquarie ‘family’ joining us means the world,” says Sonia. “These are Neil’s people. They knew him, they loved him, and seeing them come together for this campaign…it’s a reminder that Neil’s impact isn’t fading.”
Re-aligning with our mission
Five years is a moment to celebrate how far we’ve come, and to be honest about how far there is still to go. Since the launch of our Patient Fund, we have supported over a dozen melanoma patients across Australia, helping to remove the financial barriers that Neil so passionately wanted dismantled.
“This milestone is about re-aligning ourselves with what Neil asked of us,” Sonia reflects. “He didn’t want a monument. He wanted action. So that’s what we choose; every year, every campaign, every patient we support.”
If Neil’s story moves you, if you believe that your postcode and your bank balance should never determine your chances of survival, we invite you to join us.
Donate. Fundraise. Or run with us in August!
