By Afraa Kori
Pakenham’s Dillon Hughes always loved hot coals, cold beers, and good times. As a barbecue enthusiast, Dillon’s social media is filled with barbecue and cooking-related content on a daily basis. But when he realised his passion could fuel real change, he made BarbeCURE his mission.
BarbCURE is an initiative from Cure Cancer, which aims to raise funds for vital research to help find a cure for cancer.
“Cure Cancer’s BarbeCURE was a sponsored post in my feed, and immediately grabbed my interest. I tapped on to the link, and next thing I knew, I had set up a fundraising page and set myself a target of $500.”
“I thought, well this is a no-brainer! Just about every weekend, and some nights through the week, I am cooking some form of barbecue. Why not do it for a great cause!”
Dillon held BarbeCURE in his backyard on February 2, raising $1553, which exceeds his initial goal of $500.
“I was absolutely blown away with the level of support that a Sunday backyard barbecue could attract! The reaction has been positive, and it has me already thinking towards holding another BarbeCURE fundraiser in the future.”
The event attracted family, friends and a special appearance by mayor of Cardinia Shire, Jack Kowarzik. There was a raffle with some great prizes donated by small businesses from across the country. It also featured a jumping castle for all the kids to enjoy, and a friend singing and playing guitar to entertain the 30 or more crowd in attendance.
This is the first event Dillon has held as a fundraiser. In the past, his kids, Maddie and Josh, have been involved in fundraisers such as Mullets for Mental Health (Black Dog Institute) and Wigs for Kids, where they raised money by cutting or growing their hair for charity.
On a deeper level, his personal connection to cancer made it even more meaningful to participate.
In the last year, Dillon’s mother-in-law, who lives with them, was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, she won her battle, but her treatments were a test of strength for the whole family. Along with that, Dillon and his family have had many other friends and family members diagnosed, treated, and cleared, while others have not been as lucky and, sadly, are no longer with them.
BarbeCURE is a powerful reminder to cancer survivors, cancer patients, and affected families that they’re not alone.
“It can get you into a pretty dark space, and you may think you’re fighting it by yourself. Cancer doesn’t just affect the individual, it affects everyone around you. With good friends and family, you’ll never have to fight it alone. I hope our contributions, along with many others go towards making a difference in the lives of those affected.”
Dillon said the more people know about Cure Cancer or BarbeCURE, the greater the impact.
“Please spread the word by sharing my page with your friends and family. Thank you in advance for your generosity, it means a lot!”
Donate to BarbeCURE: https://www.curecancer.com.au/fundraisers/dillonhughes/barbecure
