Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I want to congratulate two young women in my electorate who are working hard to raise awareness of breast cancer and to get funds for this important cause.

Kiara lost her mother, Michaela, to breast cancer when she was just two years old and her brother, Tom, was 10 months. Kiara, now 12, decided no woman should die from breast cancer and started fundraising in March for breast cancer awareness. Kiara and her team have worked tirelessly, wearing stand-out pink wigs and clothes at every local event, including the Wallan Market, where she got me putting on a pink wig. On 30 October, she had her head shaved and reached a new fundraising target. This young girl has raised a staggering $60,369. It is truly an amazing effort by an inspiring, hardworking young girl.

Another young woman who is determined to make a difference for breast cancer is Andrea Moiler, a 31-year-old mother of two from Sunbury, who was diagnosed with breast cancer about six months ago. She has since had surgery and is now completing her second course of chemotherapy. Andrea wants the community to know that breast cancer affects women of all ages. She wants young women to learn about self-examination, take positive steps and have abnormalities tested immediately. Andrea has raised about $7,000 so far, and has a fundraiser planned for this Friday evening at the Sunbury Social Club.