I’ve taken a stand against blood cancer.

Right now, over 170,000 Australians are facing the devastating impact of blood cancer, and 17 lose their life every single day. 

My name is Bethany. Together with my family and a small organising committee, we are planning a fundraising gala dinner in Canberra to raise funds for blood cancer research and for the patient care resources that make treatment more bearable for patients and families going through it as we lost our beloved "Nellie" in August 2026.

Nellie helped every single person she came into contact with — it was simply who she was, and it never changed, even through her own diagnosis and treatment for leukaemia. She spent much of that time in the Haematology Ward and Cancer Outpatient Clinic at Canberra Hospital, and one of her favourite sayings, “be kind always,” guided the way she treated everyone around her, staff and fellow patients included. This event continues what she started — we want to keep her helping people, exactly as she would have wanted.

Given the Leukaemia Foundation's national role in supporting people affected by blood cancer and funding research, we would be honoured to nominate the Foundation as a research beneficiary of the event.