Media Release - July, 2011

Brave shave raises $21,000 for the Breast Cancer Research Trust

Two very brave ladies have done that which makes women everywhere shudder – shaved off all their hair!

At the Holiday Accommodation Parks Association of New Zealand (HAPNZ) annual conference last week, Jenny Russell, of Turangi Holiday Park, and Lisa Cornelissen, of Martinborough Holiday Park, shaved off their locks to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Trust (BCRT).

Members of HAPNZ nationwide had committed to raising $1000 each for this worthy charity. Jenny and Lisa went one further, and set themselves an ambitious fundraising target of $15,000, with a sight to having HAPNZ members pledge money to see them shave their hair at the annual conference in Wellington on July 7th.

It must have been mighty fine hair, as the daring duo managed to raise a total of $21,000 – and counting! This hair-raising sum made up a considerable base for the total of $27,482 raised at the conference.

Lisa says she is thrilled at the contributions that the HAPNZ members made.

“If Jenny and I can raise awareness as well as dollars, then losing our hair will have been a small price to pay to help the BCRT achieve its goal,” she says.

Jenny adds: “It feels very odd without hair, but we are aware that this was our choice, and that many women with breast cancer don’t have that choice.”

The annual conference kick-started the new HAPNZ fundraising theme for the year – The Great Holiday Parks Auction – after it announced that the BCRT would again be its charity of choice for 2011/2012.

Fergus Brown, CEO of HAPNZ, says that they are delighted to renew the relationship with the BCRT.

“Our member holiday parks had a lot of fun raising funds last year, and we are excited about the possibilities that the Great Holiday Parks Auction will provide,” says Brown.

“Fundraising has kicked off well with the huge amount raised by Jenny and Lisa, and we are sure that holiday parks all over the country will get involved and take part in this challenge.”

The BCRT aspires to find a cure for breast cancer by 2018, and CEO - Tony Moffatt - says that the support of organisations like HAPNZ really help drive their progress.

“We are so grateful for the support we’ve received from the Holiday Parks this last year,” says Moffatt.

“All the members have been so generous, and it is this continued level of generosity that really helps us work towards reaching our goal – finding a cure for breast cancer.”

For more information about the BCRT, or to help find a cure, visit www.breastcancercure.org.nz

ENDS
Prepared on behalf of the Breast Cancer Research Trust by the pr shop. For more information, or images, please contact Alisa Keall-Grant on 09 368 1074, 021 0224 8218 or email lise@theprshop.co.nz