Footy fever takes over Peter Mac!
03 May 2024
Carlton and Collingwood Football Clubs have sparked footy fever at Peter Mac this week, as we prepare for tomorrow nights blockbuster Peter Mac Cup match at the MCG.
The Peter Mac Cup is the longest running charity match in VFL/AFL history, with more than three decades of clashes between two fierce rivals.
On Monday we hosted players from both clubs at the Parkville campus, including Carlton's Sam Docherty, who also serves on the Board of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.
Chief Executive Professor Jason Payne joined players for their pre-match press conference, where both clubs full of praise for Peter Mac's work before they took off to tour the hospital. Plenty of delighted patients, families and staff met and chatted with them during their visit, including one young fan who got his customised “Captain Carlton” radiotherapy mask signed.
On Tuesday the clubs co-hosted a fundraising breakfast at the MCG. Executive Director of Cancer Research Professor Ricky Johnstone and Peter Mac Foundation Chief Executive Kate Torney OAM joined forces to speak about our work to the crowd of 350.
Over the last couple of days some lucky Peter Mac patients and their families visited the clubs at training. 21-year old Dimi, who is a patient in our Adolescent and Young Adult service and a lifelong Collingwood fan, went behind the scenes to meet players with his parents and brother Yianni.
And Liam, another young patient who is recovering from testicular cancer, visited Carlton to watch a training session and chat with the players joined by his sister Jess and two young cousins.
Thanks to the generosity of the Pratt Foundation, every dollar donated to cancer research through this year's Peter Mac Cup will be doubled, up to the value of $100,000!
Now is the time to double your impact and take a stand against cancer. You can donate here and longtime supporters of Peter Mac, the Pratt Foundation, will match your gift.
Keep an eye out on the TV broadcast of the match tonight for Peter Mac patients and staff who will be part of the “guard of honour” for both Collingwood and Carlton.
You might even want to barrack for the Blues - AMPOL will be donating $1,000 to the Peter Mac Foundation for every goal Carlton kicks!
Good luck to both sides in what promises to be the best Peter Mac Cup yet.