Emotional event for a good cause

Agroup of Horsham-bred young men who set out to raise $20,000 for breast cancer services has smashed its target, raising more than $50,000 for Breast Cancer Network Australia.

The Berry brothers – Joel, Jarrod and Thomas – and friends Will Robertson and Ben Lakin lost their locks in front of a packed Horsham Basketball Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The boys’ ‘buzz cut for BCNA’ was in honour of the brothers’ late mother Jedda Berry, who lost her battle with cancer in 2013.

The boys all grew up in Horsham’s Karingal Crescent and say supporting each other during a tragic time brought them closer together.

The head shave was Will’s idea, to mark five years since Jedda’s passing, on July 31.

The boys, aged between 18 and 22, originally floated a target of $5000, but decided Jarrod playing for AFL club Brisbane Lions would help lift the event’s profile and upped it to $20,000.

Several Lions players and coach Chris Fagan made the journey to Horsham for the fundraiser, which had attracted more than $30,000 before the event.

Joel said the group was overwhelmed by the support it received from the Wimmera and wider community, both before and on the day.

“The event was very successful,” he said.

“We’re still in the process of counting. We’re over $50,000 but we could get up to $55,000.

“We’re going to leave the gofundme page open for donations for another couple of weeks and then we’ll finalise everything.”

Joel said he was thrilled with the crowd that packed the stadium for the head shave.

“We reckon there would have been between 400 and 500 people. It is a huge credit to everyone for turning up,” he said.

Fagan also threw his support behind the event, volunteering to have his head shaved alongside the Berrys and their friends.

“We also raised $3000 for my old man to shave his head, and $1000 for Will’s mum Leanne to shave her head,” Joel said.

“We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who came along and donated. Some people made some long trips.

“Our family made the most of the reunion – it’s not very often you get to be in a room with so many people you love that isn’t for a funeral. The whole day was a little bit emotional, but it was for a good cause.”

Breast Cancer Network Australia aims to provide ‘a better journey for all Australians affected by breast cancer’.

October is breast cancer awareness month.

People can visit www.bcna. org.au for more information or www.gofundme.com/5i15dr4 to make a donation to ‘Berrys and brothers buzz cut for BCNA’.