Wollongong Golf Club was decidedly pretty in pink on Thursday as its women's social committee continued a three-decade long tradition of supporting cancer research through playing the game that brings them together.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
While the event stretches back more than 30 years, it's more recent fundraising efforts are a tribute to the late Gloria Swift OAM, a long-time member of the club who was also among the region's first specialist breast cancer nurses.
Her many years working with women battling breast cancer also made her aware of sufferers common subsequent battle with lymphedema as a result of treatment, something that inspired her involvement in the establishment of a specialist clinic in Warilla.
Social committee president Fran James explained it's where the club now directs its funding.
"One of our members who sadly has passed away, Gloria Swift, was probably the original breast cancer nurse in the Illawarra," James said.
"In her career working with women, she then discovered that, following cancer treatment, women and men end up with lymphedema. She was instrumental in establishing a clinic to help women who develop lymphedema as a result of having breast cancer.
"We had two of the ladies from the lymphedema clinic come [on Thursday] and talk about the money we gave them last year and how it was used to train two extra therapists to work with the ladies.
"It's very practical support for a local organisation that supports, not only women, but men as well in the Illawarra area, and we're really keen to continue that support and provide financial support that helps them train therapists to assist the ladies."
With the support of the club and major sponsor for the past six years RMB Lawyers, the fundraising event saw an unprecedented number of players hit the links for a good cause.
"We had 128 which is our biggest yet," Ms James said.
"We normally cap it at about 112, but we're really fortunate that Leigh Hingston, who is the general manager of Wollongong Golf Club, is really supportive of women's golf and provides in-kind funding to assist us.
"We have three a year. We do the breast cancer fundraiser in March, later in the year we do a Legacy Day and then in November we do an Alzheimer's Day and we support local organisations with the money we raise on those days as well.
"We have about 160 ladies who belong to Wollongong Golf Club and of course we currently have members who are going through cancer treatment, breast cancer treatment. As a group of ladies, there are so many of us who know of someone personally touched by breast cancer.
"We have a couple of ladies who are currently going through treatment, so it's wonderful to be able to support this fundraising effort."
Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
