SURFBOARDS THE NEW CURRENCY OF CANCER FUNDRAISERS
Surfers dig deep for cancer treatment and research
By Tim Baker
If you live anywhere in coastal Australia and you are raising money for cancer research or a loved one’s cancer treatment, the first thing you ought to do is get a hold of some significant surfboards signed by pro surfers.
Because when it comes to raising money for the Big C, nothing gets the punters putting their hands in their pockets like a sleek new sled, adorned with the signature of a big name surfer.
I’ve been to a few cancer fund raisers in my time, and have had my own experience with cancer, and pro surfers have always been champions at donating boards and signing them to help the cause. Forget Bitcoin, surfboards are the new currency of cancer fund-raising and their value goes up faster than Tesla shares.
In one weekend alone, I’m aware of two cancer fundraisers that auctioned significant surfboards and a Biggest Morning Tea staged at a Gold Coast surf shop to raise money for breast cancer research.
It’s just one small way the surfing community pulls together to look after their own. In Wollongong, friends and family rallied to raise over $20,000 for local woman Tracey Quin, going through treatment for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that develops from blood plasma in the bone marrow, after being diagnosed in November 2020.
The Surfboard Warehouse was approached to donate a board and came up with the first Vessel Dark Horse to roll off S-Lab’s new shaping machine production line, and signed by 1999 world champ Mark Occhilupo, no less. The board fetched a sweet $3000 at auction at the fund raiser at the Wiseman Park Bowling Club in Gwynville. Occy also donated a board of his own which went for a similar price.
On the very same weekend on the Gold Coast, a fund raiser was held for popular local film maker and educator Jed Cahill, recently diagnosed with a grade four Glioblastoma brain tumour. After going through a gruelling course of chemotherapy and radiation, Jed is heading to Germany for potentially life-saving treatment and his community has rallied around he and his young family to cover the costs.
Among the many auction items at the event at Currumbin RSL were signed surfboards donated by world champ Joel Parkinson and long-time pro turned surf coach Dean “Dingo” Morrison. Each went for around $3000 at auction.
On the same day, the Surfboard Warehouse store at Palm Beach held a well-attended Biggest Morning Tea to raise money for breast cancer research, organised by local identity and fashion designer, Karen Neilsen, wife of surfing legend Paul Neilsen. With a colourful cast of Gold Coast surfing characters on hand, including John “Gordo” Gordon and Glen “Rocky” Rawlings manning the bbq, valuable dollars were raised in this popular annual fund raiser. Generous support was provided by local businesses, Tugun Fruit & Flowers, the Body Method, Salt Mill, Hacq Hair Artistry, Kingswood Park Butchery and Currumbin Beach General Store.
As our surfing population ages, and cases of chronic illness and other ailments increase, our community’s ability to look after its own will be put to the test. Surfboards provide a natural currency for these fund-raising efforts that allow us to celebrate our surfing culture and community, and the shared bond wave-riding offers us. So, hang on to those old shooters. You never know, they might be worth something some day, and for a very worthy cause.
Click on this link if you’d like to support Jed Cahill’s Gofundme campaign.