Zara's Story
After Zara’s dad, Bruce, was diagnosed with prostate cancer, she saw first-hand the challenges that Aussie men experience. It inspired her to find a way to make a difference and support other men and families impacted by the disease.
Not one to do anything by halves, Zara decided to shave her long hair alongside her dad, and raised more than $22,000 for PCFA in the process.
“I wanted to shave my head to start a conversation about those who walk among us, fighting an internal battle. When a loved one gets a diagnosis, you feel helpless, so I raised funds to save men’s lives in the hope that the tomorrow will come quickly enough to save my dad.”
As background, Zara’s dad was first diagnosed in 2013 and underwent a successful surgery. Together, they went on to trek Kokoda in celebration of his recovery. But their celebrations were short lived. In 2015, her dad got a call that the cancer had returned.
“Since that phone call it has been a revolving door of blood tests, scans and radiation therapy. The cancer is in his lymph nodes now. As soon as it gets big enough to see, it is treated with radiation therapy. Then he waits again, waits for the next group of cells to grow so they can be treated too. The waiting, the not knowing, is horrendous.
“Dad's journey has and will be long, it is emotional, it is scary and there are so many unknowns.
“We know that the scans will continue to show cancer masses, there is no cure. We are living in the hope that his wonderful doctors and nurses can continue to keep the cancer under control, so we can create many more memories together, compete in many more laser-tag competitions and share so many more laughs.”
Zara is a great supporter of fundraising and the difference it can make, and is happy to encourage others to fundraise for Dry July to make a difference.
“Every dollar that people donate to PCFA will be a game-changer for Aussie men and their families, boosting life-saving prostate cancer research, nursing and support.”