Party in pink

Volume 11, No. 56, November 16, 2006

Cash for cancer: Some of the women deployed to Timor-Leste at their Girls’ Night In. Photo by Cpl Rachel Ingram

WOMEN deployed to Timor-Leste showed their support of the Cancer Council of Australia holding a Girls’ Night In.

Soldiers of the JTF raised $1150 for cancer research with a fundraising night, in late October.

Girls’ Night In is a month-long fundraising event promoted by the Cancer Council, encouraging women to get together for a night and raise money for cancer research.

Maj Cherisa Bellis, J1/4 cell, held the event in the recreation centre in the Dili compound. She has been a campaigner for cancer research for nearly four years.

Maj Bellis said there were few opportunities for the women of the JTF to be in the one place, and this was a worthy cause.

About 16 women came together from around the JTF for a pink dinner, in the pink-themed recreation centre, to watch a chick flick.

The object of the night was to celebrate life and raise funds for women’s cancer. The women donated what they would spend in a night out back home.

Maj Bellis said the night had special significance for the assembled women – one of whom is a cancer survivor.

“Success stories like those of Capt Emily Douglas keep us motivated to raise money for research,” Maj Bellis said.