YOUNG CURE CANCER AUSTRALIA

The Young Cure Cancer Committee - Samantha Ryko, Hamish Anderson, Natasha Ryko & Zoe Ewen

In 2001, four young volunteers under the age of 25, formed the Young Cure Cancer Committee (YCCA). The aim was to promote Cure Cancer Australia to a younger market who are generally more naive to the threats cancer poses and how it could affect their lives. Reaching this audience in a memorable way was our primary goal, so we devised the concept of the 'Cure Cancer Carnivale Ball'. Since 2002, we have hosted 4 such events raising nearly $500,000 for Cure Cancer Australia Foundation.

All members on the committee work in different professions, but have united in the joint effort of creating events that are not only highly successful 'social musts', but just as importantly, inform others of the risk cancer plays in our lives.

With every event, we aim to achieve a number of goals:

• Show our peers how they can join the search for a cure for cancer, while having a fantastic time

• Show their contributions lead to positive gains in the fight against cancer

• Increase the understanding in the younger demographics about the importance of research

• Have the best night they have had all year

All profits raised at our events go towards funding grants for our young researchers.