The Pan-Hellenic Women’s Federation of Australia held their first fundraising event last Friday November 3, raising $3,390 to assist the Peter MacCallum Hospital in Melbourne.
Held at Keilor Community Hub, the purpose of the event was to raise the funds to help discover cancer cures, assisting world leading cancer research.
The morning tea included information presented on cancer awareness by the organisation’s president, Georgina Papafotiou.
There are currently 46 types of cancers and in 2021, approximately 49,000 people died of cancer in Australia. This was an average of 135 deaths per day.
Lung Cancer is responsible for more deaths than any other cancer, with the other two most aggressive ones being Pancreatic and Liver cancer.
Those with the highest survival rates are Thyroid Cancer (98 per cent), Prostate Cancer (97 per cent), Testicular Cancer (95 per cent) and Melanoma (94 per cent).
Peter MacCallum is Australia’s top cancer hospital in Australia and a world leader in cancer research, education and treatment.
The only hospital in Australia that is solely dedicated to caring for people affected by cancer, it started in one room at the Queen Victoria Hospital in April 1949.
Rated the 14th best hospital out of 300 oncology hospitals worldwide, Peter MacCallum has five sites across Victoria with over 2500 total staff, and also teaches students and health professionals.
Mayor of Brimbank, Cr Bruce Lancashire was also in attendance to speak about cancer awareness.
In statement provided to Neos Kosmos, Papafotiou said she “personally has the highest respect for all staff at Peter MacCallum Hospital including all doctors, nurses, therapists, dieticians, admin, cleaners.”
“The respect, understanding and empathy all staff have for each individual patient is highly commended.”
She also said that the money raised was a great outcome and that as president she hopes to make it an annual event for the organisation.
Anyone interested in joining or finding out more about the group can contact them on 0435119894.
