We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Sydney Football Club for their 20th anniversary season!
Sydney FC is Australia's most successful club in the A-Leagues.
Through this partnership, Cancer Council will have a platform to communicate our services and vital cancer information to the largest fanbase in the A-Leagues, as well as encourage fans to donate and support life-saving cancer research.
What this partnership means for Cancer Council NSW
As almost 1 in 2 Australians are diagnosed with cancer before the age of 85, this partnership is crucial. Partnering with Sydney FC provides Cancer Council with the opportunity to connect with the Greater Sydney community, empowering more Aussies to prevent cancer, support world class research and reduce the impact of cancer.
Cancer Council NSW's Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Hosking, is delighted with our new partnership with the Sky Blues.
"Each new season a ball is kicked, 51,000 Australians will have died from cancer in the last year. Through vital cancer research, we've been able to increase survival rates to around 70% today, but there's more work to be done," Sarah says.
"Together with Sydney FC, it's all of us against cancer."
Sydney FC Chief Executive Officer, Mark Aubrey, is also excited about the partnership. "We're incredibly proud to partner with Cancer Council for our 20th anniversary season, uniting our fans and players behind a cause that touches every Australian family," says.
"Together with Cancer Council, we're inviting our fans and the wider community to stand together against cancer, to make a lasting impact that will save lives and build a healthier future for all," Mark adds.
For goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares, it's personal
Our new partnership with Sydney FC is especially meaningful for new Sydney FC signing Harrison Devenish-Meares, whose mother Rossana was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in 2021, a cancerous tumor that forms on the kidney.
Harrison has clear memories from when his mum received her diagnosis. "It was a complete fluke that we found it," Harrison says.
"I had been playing overseas and came back home for the first time in four years. We were having a welcome home party and she fell while dancing, breaking a rib. When they did the imaging, they found the cancer."
Harrison also remembers that "the stress was overwhelming. My pre-season was starting overseas, and mum insisted I go, which was incredibly hard for me."
Rossana's recovery changed the direction of Harrison's career
For Harrison, seeing his mum go through cancer from the other side of the world was confronting. It was the first time he truly faced the concept of his parents' mortality.
"I began to plan how I could bring my career back to Australia. I just wanted to be closer to home," he says.
Thankfully for Rossana, the cancer hadn't spread, and the surgery was successful. She now fundraises for Cancer Council, recently raising around $4,000 for Australia's Biggest Morning Tea.
Harrison concludes: "When it hits close to home, it hits different. Mum was lucky that her cancer was detected early, and her prognosis was excellent. I take inspiration from the fact she's used it as a springboard to live a more fulfilling life."
