The Good Home / Prospect of Howick recently held its annual Long Lunch in support of the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Blue September fundraising event.
This year has marked the 10th anniversary of the lunch and Prospect general manager Barry O’Shaughnessy says it raised a record-breaking $16,816.
That brings the total collected through the lunches over the past decade to almost $70,000.
“As New Zealand’s most diagnosed cancer, raising money for Kiwis and their families affected by prostate cancer is such a powerful cause to get behind,” says O’Shaughnessy.
The fundraiser featured a variety of auction items donated by local Howick businesses.
They included commissioned paintings, and a signed jersey by the late-great Dame Yvette Williams, the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal for New Zealand.
O’Shaughnessy says the response from the community has been fantastic.
“Each year is bigger, brighter and better as more people get involved.
“Over the last 10 years, around six of our customers have discovered they have prostate cancer early thanks to getting checked after the long lunch.”
The highlight of the day was a speech by Paul Campbell, who shared his personal experience with prostate cancer.
“I use the analogy of being a private in the front lines of warfare,” he says.
“My oncologist and my team give me the tools and weapons to fight the enemy.
“In the end, what happens is you have to have the fight.
“I may lose eventually, but we’re all going to lose one day,” says Campbell.
“If I’m going to have the fight, I want to use my experience as much as I can to demonstrate to people that this isn’t something that can’t happen.”
Campbell highlighted the importance of awareness and early detection.
“We’re all 12-feet tall and bulletproof until we find out we’re six-feet tall and not so bulletproof,” he says.
“Men all have excuses masquerading as reasons to not go get checked.
“But I tell them to talk to their wives and girlfriends about what actually invasive screenings look like.”
Campbell encouraged attendees to talk to their loved ones about the importance of regular check-ups.
“Hats off to Barry and all the sponsors who provided auction items to accrue value for such a good cause.
“An awareness campaign is only as successful as the people who are available to speak on their experience.
“As a result of me speaking at various events, around 80 people have told me either they or their significant other will get a PSA test, and three of those people have caught it early and had their prostate removed.
“That’s the power of telling the story. It has to be face to face.”
To support the one in eight Kiwi men and their families affected by prostate cancer, text Blue to 2449 to make a $3 donation to Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ, or visit https://fundraise.prostate.org.nz/home
