Friday, 19 August 2022
The Million Dollar Lunch raised a record breaking $2,753,724 for the Children’s Cancer Foundation.
After two years of disruptions and cancellations – the Million Dollar community came together for our annual fundraising event in 2022 on Friday 19th August. Where committed organisations and individuals came together over lunch at the Crown Palladium, raised the bar and a huge total of $2,753,724 for the Children’s Cancer Foundation at the Million Dollar Lunch.
The Palm Springs themed event clearly inspired the guests. The room was filled with a tremendous amount of goodwill and generosity, everyone came together to have some fun and to make a difference for Childrens Cancer, supporting game-changing research projects to develop better and safer treatments for children with cancer.
Jeremy Smith, Children’s Cancer Foundation Chairman, said “Childhood cancers are different from adult cancer. Since 1980, over 500 drugs have been approved for adult cancers. For childhood cancers, the number is 12. What is needed is research with scale and leverage. Which is why, in the midst of the pandemic, the Foundation created the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium, a vehicle for clinical research excellence.”
Bright California Girls welcomed our guests with their dance number on stage, with Melbourne artist-on-the-rise Mia Wray performing her smash hit, Never Gonna Be The Same and ARIA-award winning Australian artist Mark Seymour performing, Throw your Arms around me.
Attracting 570 of Australia’s most influential leaders, numerous high-profile personalities, the guest list included Children’s Cancer Foundation Patron and AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and wife Laura, Foundation Chairman Jeremy Smith and the esteemed Million Dollar Lunch Committee, with our host for the day Sarah Jones.
The Honorable Minister Jaala Pulford gave an honest and heart wrenching speech from the perspective of a mother, who lost her daughter to Cancer in 2014. Jaala’s words inspired the people in the room to donate to the Children Cancer Foundation.
Followed by Marshall White auctioneer, John Bongiorno delivered a heart-pounding auction encouraging guests to dig deep for families effected by childhood cancer – bringing up the the total raised this event even higher than before.
Cornerstone Partners for the event included Crown Resorts, Australian Football League, Sportsbet, Lexus of Blackburn and Virgin Australia. With Crown and its suppliers delivering the event with unwavering support of the Children’s Cancer Foundation, to maximise funds raised on the day.
