CABARITA Beach is set to host the inaugural NSW Sarcoma Surf Tag Team event on Saturday 6 July.
Teams from Duranbah, Snapper, Kingscliff, Cabarita and Byron Bay are among the those that will participate at the event, whichis a sister event to the fifth annual Hannah’s Chance Foundation Sarcoma Surf Tag Team event on the Gold Coast on the same day.
In that event, five boardriding teams including the Alley, Burleigh, MNM, North End and Palm Beach will battle the waves this year in order to increase the awareness of the aggressive disease and raise funds.
Once again Pitstop Hill Mentawai are the main sponsors of the Gold Coast event that is being held at Pacific SLSC at Palm Beach on Sunday 7 July 2013.
Due to the increased support by local boardriders, the second event has been added and will be sponsored by Shop A Docket.
Hannah’s Chance Foundation was established to raise funds for medical research into rare types of cancer. There are various types of Sarcoma, all of which are extremely aggressive and close to 50 per cent of sufferers do not survive this disease. Richie Lovett, a former world tour surfer is an extraordinary survivor of chondrosarcoma cancer.
The Hannah’s Chance Foundation was the dream of two young sarcoma sufferer’s Hannah Ciobo, daughter of Tracey Wickham and Rob Ciobo and Tom O’Driscoll who wanted to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for their rare disease. Hannah fought very bravely against the rare synovial sarcoma for three years until she lost her battle in October 2007. Tom suffered from ewings sarcoma and fortunately is now in remission.
This year’s surf events hold an extra special meaning to all, especially to director of Hannah’s Chance Foundation, Leigh Webb, and her two sons Corey and Blake, who recently lost their father/husband Tony, to liposarcoma in November 2012 after nearly 10 years battling the disease.
“Please come and join us for a fun day in the sun and surf as we remember fellow surfers Tony Webb (MNM) and his workmate Shaun Pywell who lost their battle to this horrible disease last November,” Leigh said.
“We will honour them by spreading the awareness and raising funds to help sufferers and find a cure … …”
Tweed Coast Weekly surfing personality Terry “Tappa” Teece will be master of ceremonies for both events. Both events will start at 8am. More information can be found at the foundations website or find Hannah’s Chance Foundation on Facebook.
www.hannahschancefoundation.org.au
