For the month of October, Long Beach resident Jude Rafferty is encouraging her neighbours to turn their front yards pink to raise awareness of breast cancer screening.
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But the village will really get in the pink on Saturday, October 6, when pink pooches are expected to unleash a day of fundraising.
Ms Rafferty is raising funds to train McGrath Foundation Breast Cancer nurses, via a scholarship set up in memory of her late partner, Bec Barney, who died 15 months ago, aged 59.
At the funeral, money that would normally go to flowers was instead used to set up “Bec’s Scholarship”.
The couple had been together since Bec was diagnosed with breast cancer 21 years earlier, at the age of 38.
They moved to Long Beach nine years ago.
there will be pink cricket and a tug-o-war ... survivors and families versus the world
Now, Ms Rafferty is determined to keep raising awareness about the need for breast cancer screening.
In October, the McGrath Foundation organises events across Australia and Ms Rafferty has chosen October 6 to be noticed.
“I continually look for avenues to bring greater awareness,” Ms Rafferty said.
The big day will start with a pink dog gathering at 9.30am and a beach walk from 10am.
“Dress up your dog,” Ms Rafferty urged.
“We hope to get a local vet to judge them.”
From 11am, there will be pink cricket and a tug-o-war, with survivors and families versus the world.
There will be face painting, hair shaving and colouring.
Ms Rafferty will dare the crowd to pay her for each level of head shaving she achieves.
“If I do a (number) six, they have to pay me $5, etc, etc,” she said.
There will be a sausage sizzle from 12.30pm, pink cakes and coffee.
From 1pm, there will be speakers including breast cancer nurse Andrea Franke and Shane McArthur, who will discuss her journey through cancer.
“We hope to have a medical oncologist from Canberra,” Ms Rafferty said.
The action will hot up at 1.30pm with an auction.
The community has already got behind the events, donating goods for the auction and energy on the day.
“The police are pinking up, the fire brigade are pinking up,” Ms Rafferty said.
“We would be grateful to any of the local businesses if they want to donate anything we can auction.
“There will be music in the background from Lotus, a local group.”
Events wrap up at 4.30pm.
However, anyone who decorates their front garden pink for the month of October will be judged on October 27.
