By Tanya Steele
A local Ferntree Gully business recently hosted an onsite ‘World’s Greatest Shave’ event, making it their mission to help beat blood cancer by shaving, cutting, or colouring their hair in late March.
My Soda Australia, Natures Organics, are one of this years World’s Greatest Shave corporate partners and the local family owned company took part in this year’s campaign to raise funds and awareness for the thousands of Australians living with blood cancer.
Leukaemia Foundation CEO, Chris Tanti said the Leukaemia Foundation is thrilled to have the support of MySoda – Natures Organics, as a partner, and fundraiser, in this year’s World’s Greatest Shave.
“With a number of their staff taking part in the World’s Greatest Shave by either shaving, cutting, or colouring their hair on the day, it is a testament to their dedication and commitment to the cause,” he said.
The Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave is one of Australia’s most well-loved and iconic fundraising campaigns.
For 26 years, Australians have come together to raise money for people living with blood cancer and to shave, colour or cut their hair.
More than 140,000 people are living with blood cancer or a related blood disorder in Australia today and the incidence of blood cancer continues to grow – over the past 10 years alone, the incidence of blood cancer has soared with an increase of 47%.
Natures Organics Brand Manager Jordy Partington said they held the event at their onsite warehouse and around 70 or 80 staff came along.
“It was a really good time, the energy was really high,” she said.
“We put on a lunch for everyone and they donated some money for the cause.
“We had some chairs set up and people were coming up to participate by getting their hair shaved, or mainly coloured as well.”
When someone signs up to shave, cut or colour their hair, they send a powerful message of hope to the 140,000 people in Australia living with blood cancer today, many of whom will lose their hair during treatment.
All money raised from World’s Greatest Shave provides vital support for the growing number of Australians diagnosed with blood cancer including leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other blood related disorders.
It also helps the Leukaemia Foundation to advocate for equitable access to new therapies and treatments and to further invest in vital blood cancer research to hopefully one day find a cure.
Ms Partington said that everybody in the company was helping out and the event had lots of local collaboration – other local Ferntree Gully businesses donated the food provided for the luncheon.
“We ended up raising $1,000 from lunch and three people shaved their heads completely and one person shaved their hair into a mohawk,” she said.
“It was truly wonderful to see many of their team members standing in solidarity with the 140,000 Australians currently living with blood cancer and we thank them, and their local community, for getting behind our iconic fundraising campaign,” said Mr Tanti
