LICK IT TO LICK IT

I want to touch on three things. One is fiction and two are fact, They cover about twenty years in my life and they could mean life or death in your life. Or in the life of somebody your love.

Nearly twenty years ago I wrote a novel, a piece of fiction, called Death in Newport. The main protagonist was a wealthy woman in Newport, Rhode Island called Penelope Pike, who was kidnapped during an Australian challenge for the America’s Cup.

As part of my plot I gave her suspected breast cancer and, in the novel, had her self-examining herself in the bath. To write the book I did personal research into breast cancer, for authenticity, and had the female character checking her breast like somebody examining the spokes of a wheel on a bike.

That was fiction in 1986 this is fact. Flash forward to 2004. Flash forward to fact in 2004. My younger sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had chemotherapy and is recovering. I also had a girlfriend a few years ago who had had a radical mastectomy.

Last night I spent some time, along with a lot of other people, with a famous woman who had breast cancer, and who is now devoting large chunks of her life to fighting it. Raising public awareness. Getting women to check their bodies. Find the lumps and fight it.

I went to a breast cancer function organized by New Idea magazine and the Seven Network. Paula Duncan was there, Totti Goldsmith, Molly Meldrum, Maria Vanuti, Peter and Ann Hollingworth and we listened to two extraordinary people: Olivia Newton-John and Doctor Ernie Bodai.

(We also had a surprise appearance from the now reclusive John Farnham to sing some duets from “Grease” with Olivia but that’s another story).

Olivia discovered, fought, and beat breast cancer 12 years ago. She is now in her mid-Fifties and looks about twelve.

American doctor Ernie Bodai treats hundreds of women a year. He had this crazy idea to raise funds for breast cancer research. He wanted America Post to put out a stamp featuring breast cancer research. Charge a bit more for it and give every dollar to cancer research.

For two years he lobbied politicians – all the way up to former First Lady and now Senator Hillary Clinton. And he won. Hillary launched the stamp. And they have raised millions of dollars. More than fifty million dollars.

Now Doctor Bodai and Olivia Newton John are lobbying politicians and Australia Post in THIS country to do the same thing. And they must win. They must win.

I would buy such a stamp. There is not a family in this country who has not had a mother or a sister or a wife or a lover affected by this insidious killer. And we know from the magazine headlines that it doesn’t only afflict the old. Young women can be struck down as well.

So I am happy to join the campaign. Endorse the campaign. Get Australia Post to produce a fund-raising stamp for breast cancer research. I’ve even come up with a slogan for the stamp:

Lick it to lick it.

Let’s do it.

Wednesday, June 9, 2004

©Copyright Derryn Hinch 2004