Coogee locals Lauren Falconer and Lauren Britton, who met at a mother's group years ago, have turned their shared passion for breast cancer awareness into an annual fundraiser that has raised more than $41,000 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Now in its seventh year, the event is taking on a new life with a vibrant Bowling for Boobs event at the Dalmatinac Sport and Community Club in Spearwood this Saturday.
Expanding the Event to Include Everyone
Ms Falconer said the inspiration came from a desire to expand the event to more people. “We’ve always done a silent auction and bottomless bubbles for the ladies, but this year we wanted to include more people to open it up for the blokes because breast cancer affects everyone,” she said. “The Dalmatinac Club came on board and have been really supportive and helpful in keeping our costs down, which means we’ll make more money - every cent we can save on room hire and expensive drinks is money that can go towards the National Breast Cancer Foundation.”
Ticket Sales and Prize Pool Double
Ticket sales have doubled from last year’s event, with an expectation of 100 attendees plus kids. The pair also received double the donations of prizes and vouchers, and will have $20,000 worth of giveaways available on the day. Local artists and businesses including A Touch of Sass Beauty Salon, Sea West tours and Rockcliffe Winery are helping to sponsor the prize pool, which Ms Falconer said is “pretty incredible”. “We have some very loyal supporters who have supported us from the start,” she said. “It’s incredible because it’s hard times, and tough for people to give, but everybody’s really come together ... we couldn’t do it without the support that we’ve had.”
Personal Stories Drive the Cause
Ms Falconer said she initially got involved after being inspired by her mum, who always encouraged her to give back where she could. “I didn’t know anyone impacted by breast cancer when I started. But that changed very quickly,” she said. “People started sharing their stories, and I was shocked by just how many lives the disease touches. Once that happened, I couldn’t stop.” Ms Britton was encouraged to support the cause after witnessing her nan’s experience with breast cancer. “That made it a bit more personal for me, so I thought we should just make this a yearly thing and make it a lot bigger than just a pink ribbon breakfast,” Ms Falconer said. “It just affects so many people. It also affects men and it’s just not talked about.”
Part of the National GO PINK Campaign
This colourful event coincides with the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s GO PINK campaign, which runs throughout June. During this time, Australians pledge to wear it, shave it or colour it pink to fundraise for breast cancer research. “The research being done is incredible - we’re just trying to do our part to help that continue,” Ms Falconer said. “It’s a lot of hard work putting the event together, but it’s so much fun on the actual day. Hopefully we can get bigger and bigger every year.” The sold-out Bowling for Boobs event will be held this Saturday at Dalmatinac Sport and Community Club. Both women hope to grow it into an even bigger event next year.
