$12k in donations for alleged cancer faker
A High-profile cancer ambassador and former Australian of the Year nominee has been charged with fraud after allegedly faking her own cancer and pocketing more than $10,000 in donations.
Amanda Power, 32, was charged by police on Wednesday, more than two years after suspicions were initially raised by alleged victims that her story of surviving multiple cancers was fake.
Police will allege the Townsville woman, who was employed by Cancer Council Queensland (CCQ), fraudulently became one of its ambassadors and travelled for free on the charity’s dollar to attend fundraising events and seminars, including in the US, where she gave inspirational talks.
It will also be alleged Ms Power received about $12,980 from a fundraising page and directly from people in the community who donated money and free services believing she had cancer.
Police will allege the offending spanned between 2014 and 2019, and affected multiple victims. Detectives are appealing for others who helped or donated to Ms Power to come forward.
Ms Power began fundraising for CCQ in 2007 and was later employed as North Queensland Relay for Life coordinator.
The former Ryan Catholic College student was nominated as Australian of the Year for her fundraising efforts and spent a lot of time
inspiring cancer patients with her allegedly false personal story of surviving melanoma, uterine and ovarian cancer.
She was also flown to the American Cancer Society’s 2012 summit where she was believed to have been Australia’s first global ambassador.
She resigned from her CCQ role in 2017 after allegedly claiming her cancer had come back.
It’s understood Townsville Police started investigating Ms Power in 2020 after suspicions were raised. It will be claimed CCQ was unaware
Ms Power was allegedly lying about her cancer.
She has been charged with nine counts of fraud and will face Townsville Magistrates Court on October 28.
Ms Power has been previously reported as saying her cancer journey began when she was 20 years old.
She posted on her mycause.com.au fundraising page in August, 2018, asking people for money.
“For me to be able to continue treatment as planned, I need my Power’s Power Fund to reach 13,000 before 30th
August,” it says. “Any help would be so very appreciated and would mean I don’t have to miss out on treatment.”
In a 2013 newspaper article she was reported saying in relation to her battle, “dying was the easy option”.
She was also interviewed for the Global Relay for Life Heroes for Hope magazine in 2012-13 and quoted about what cancer had taught her.
“Once you are a cancer survivor, you can do anything!,” she said. “I may not be the genius who cures cancer, but I may very well raise the
dollar that funds the researcher that does find the cure to this indiscriminate disease!”
A CCQ spokeswoman said it would not be commenting on the case but invited anyone in the cancer community who wanted to discuss the matter to contact it.
“Cancer Council Queensland ... support(s) the cancer community with integrity, agility and a deep sense of belonging,” she said.
Investigators are calling for anyone with information to call Policelink on 13 14 44.