Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to give warning that after the events in my electorate of Paterson last Friday I am a dramatically changed man—changed from both the outside and the inside. As you can clearly see, I am clean-shaven in more ways than one today. Along with my state colleague the member for Port Stephens, Craig Baumann, we participated in the ‘Big Heads Shaved for Cancer’ at Robert Foot’s new hair salon in Raymond Terrace. Our goal by 10 am on the 10th day of the 10th month was to raise $10,000 in much needed funds for the Hunter breast cancer support group and the Hunter Prostate Cancer Support Group. I thank all of those who helped us to well and truly exceed that target.

On the inside, I have changed because, as I have travelled this fundraising journey I have gained an even further understanding of the plight of those who suffer from these all-too-often fatal ailments. Doreen Bradley from Mallabula, a survivor of breast cancer, had been given the all-clear in 1987 after a partial mastectomy and 15 years of taking Tamoxifen, only to find out this year that the cancer had returned. After two more operations she is currently undergoing chemotherapy. In this House I have previously paid tribute to dear friends Paula Ford of Medowie, who succumbed to breast cancer after a long hard fight, and before her, Dorothy Paul, who also lost the battle. I am all too often reduced to tears by the tragic stories that I hear.

After I sent out a request for financial support I received a response from Robyn Parker, an MLC of the New South Wales parliament. In her email she said, in part:

Congratulations on taking up the challenge to shave your head for cancer research.

Earlier this year my son Dylan (he’s 21) raised over $1,000 from his poor University mates and had his chest waxed as part of the same challenge.

He’s pretty hairy so it was quite spectacular (and painful). While he was on stage he raised a further $200.00 to have his armpits waxed.

Sadly, today Dylan and David had their heads shaved again but this time because on Wednesday Dylan is having an operation to remove a brain tumour.

We are hoping and praying that the operation is a success and the tumour is benign. Life is so precious and cancer is such a terrible disease, for which we must find a cure.

We, the Parker family, all thank-you for your efforts.

I was advised by Robyn last week that the operation on Dylan had removed most of the tumour and that it was benign. We now have to play the waiting game and use every tool available, including prayer, for his recovery.

The stories from all of us in this place are endless, but each in our own way must do what we can to help. We can run, we can hide, but there is no escaping the trauma that occurs to the individual and the family when cancer raises its ugly head. When I think of the battlers and the pensioners who do it tough on a day-to-day basis, I know the battle only gets worse when they are hit with the bad news, the additional costs and the long drawn-out road for treatment. At a sprightly young 78, a friend from Raymond Terrace, Les Dalley, keeps pushing me—no, ordering me—to do what I can for prostate cancer as he describes to me the treatments he and his mates have to endure.

Let me say that we are blessed to have wonderful support groups who help those afflicted in our community, bringing an even further dimension of compassion and support to those who, in some cases, lose everything. Besides the desperate need to raise funds for research for cancer cures there is also a need to provide financial assistance so that those who provide the personal care and support can continue in their fine work. That is why the nearly $11,000 raised will be given to the two support groups. Nola Lawler, who runs the Tomaree Breast Cancer Support Group, turned out with her pink team on the day to sell everything pink. However, I am not so sure that the pink lipstick ribbons that were painted onto Craig Baumann’s and my face as we sat in the chair being shaved looked the part. But it was all in good humour.

Whilst we can all enjoy the banter that occurs when a person like me does something unusual like shaving my head, I can assure all and sundry that the price that my personal dignity will pay for a few days is nothing like that that those who have cancer pay. My thanks go out to 2HD’s Luke Grant, to 2SM’s Graeme Gilbert, to Robert Foot from RF Hair Design, to Gary Hosen and the team who helped to organise the day, and to all of those who contributed the much needed dollars. I commend them all as fine, outstanding Australians.