From small to Biggest

IT started out as a humble fundraising effort with the hope of making a few hundred dollars for the Cancer Council through the Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea campaign.

Nearly four months later, and following significant support from across the Ballarat community, Tegan Stevenson effort has raised $4500 and counting.

“Mum was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumours a few years ago, and they keep popping back, so I decided I wanted to raise money for cancer,” she said.

The Biggest Morning Tea was originally planned for Ms Stevenson’s grandmother’s flat but as the event gathered steam it was clear that wasn’t going to do.

Ultimately hundreds of people ended up flowing through the doors of a Simonds’ display home in Lucas on Sunday, after the company offered up to host the event.

“I can honestly not believe how much has been donated and how much people have been getting behind it,” Ms Stevenson said. “I’d like to thank them all, and Simonds as well, they have donated their house for it to happen.”

Ms Stevenson’s motivation for hosting the Morning Tea was personal.

Her mother Sharon has been treated for a rare form of cancer, neuroendocrine tumours, for 20 years.

Through that time the Cancer Council has been supporting the family.

“They’ve helped out with all the tests and scans and things like that, which has been really, really good,” Ms Stevenson said. “They have offered support the whole way through, so it was time to give back.”

Ms Stevenson’s mum, Sharon, said she was humbled by her daughter’s effort and the willingness of the wider community to get involved. It’s something that she’s experienced throughout her journey with neuroendocrine tumours.

“It’s just amazing,” Mrs Stevenson said. “Tegan’s done a fantastic job, with the support of everyone, it’s wonderful, you couldn’t ask for anything more. People have been always so supportive, I’ve been doing this cancer for 20 years.

Neuroendocrine tumours is the term given to a range of soft tissue cancers that can form all over the body.

While there are treatment options, reoccurrence is common. A support and awareness group, known as the Unicorn Foundation, has been formed to help people impacted by the disease.

“The Unicorn Foundation does give more awareness of neuroendocrine tumours and I’d love to get that name around because it’s an uncommon cancer and I’d really love for people to know about it,” Ms Stevenson said.

As the humble fundraising effort grew quickly, and along with Ms Stevenson’s time and effort, over 100 Ballarat businesses, clubs and other organisations contributed donations that went into raffle prizes.

The organic growth of Ms Stevenson’s effort is reflected in the way the event came to be held at the Simonds display.

“Tegan’s a client of mine and I’ve had some family members go through it [cancer] as well,” said Brent Jacobsson, Simonds Homes Ballarat Sales Consultant.

“She said she was hosting the Biggest Morning Tea and did I want to buy a raffle ticket. She also said her grandmother was hosting the event in her unit and I said it sounds a bit bigger than that. My thinking behind it was from both sides, we get a lot of people through the home but in return by us putting a name behind it, it helps her by instead of having it at her nan’s house she’d get extra donations from the extra traffic.”

The fundraising isn’t over yet. You can still support the effort by visiting vic.cancercouncilfundraising.org.au/TStevenson.