Doing it for Lionel: funds raised in dad’s honour
THIS month, members of a central west family are pulling on their walking shoes and hats and hitting the pavement for one important cause – they’re “Doing it for Lionel”.
Sally Everett, born in Dubbo and currently living in Narromine, has teamed up with her family to raise funds and awareness for skin cancer after the devastating illness affected them personally.
After Sally’s father Lionel Mcguire was diagnosed with melanoma in September 2021, he tragically died in November at the age of 66.
“It’s was absolutely devastating,” Ms Everett said.
“We didn’t know a lot about melanoma but we’ve learned so much in a short space of time.
“Melanoma is so cruel...dad had a melanoma 20 years ago which was removed and then nothing more was thought about it but they think it potentially stayed in his blood stream.
“It started to grow. The doctors said it was massive. I didn’t know you could get melanoma internally – it was basically eating away his spine and pelvis...it was 22cm long.”
Lionel showed incredible strength in his last months, managing to walk with a walking frame despite being in tremendous pain.
“We had never known Dad to be sick or unwell, so seeing him in so much pain and suffering and going from being so fit and active to frail and losing all independence broke our hearts,” Ms Everett said.
Determined to honour her father and help others, Ms Everett and her family teamed up to walk and raise funds for Australia Skin Cancer Foundation’s Mission Melanoma.
In January 2022, Doing it for Lionel fundraiser page was launched online, with the site raising $3210 as of March 10 2022 towards research, advocacy, education and support.
“Since we started, there’s been a lot of people saying they’ve booked in for a skin check,” Ms Everett said.
“A lady we know said she had something she was ignoring and after hearing Dad’s story she got it checked out and found out it was melanoma.
“A friend of my sister also had seven spots removed from her chest.
“If we hadn’t been talking about it, they might not have got checked.
“That’s what it makes it beneficial and worthwhile.
“We couldn’t help dad, but we may be able to help others.”
The family has also learned melanoma can be hereditary – prompted Ms Everett and her sister, Carin Mcguire, to get regular checks.
“We know “Slip, Slop, Slap” and about wearing a hat but I don’t think we know the important of regular skin checks,” she said.
“While Mission Melanoma is across March, we don’t see it as just one month. It’s something we’ll do ongoing.
“We’ve got this amazing raffle happening and the businesses that have got behind it have been incredible.”
Ms Everett and her sister plan to get a tattoo of the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation logo in celebration of reaching their $3000 target – with Ms Everett’s niece getting a custom temporary tattoo as well.
“Dad was a gentleman and very unassuming,” Ms Everett said.
“He was very old-fashioned... that’s how I’d describe him.”
For information about how to donate, visit Mission Melanoma Doing it for Lionel on Facebook.