Cancer survivor remembers her late son in support of Daffodil Day

ONE in two Australians will be affected by cancer in their lives according to Cancer Council Australia, which is why it is more important now than ever to contribute to this year’s Daffodil Day Appeal on August 27.

Surf Coast resident Dawn Cunningham is a Daffodil Day ambassador and a remarkable woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 but is now in remission.

The Torquay resident was able to overcome her illness, however, cancer has had an ever-lasting impact on her life after both her mother and her 14-year-old boy Gabi passed away from it.

Overcoming her own challenges has certainly had a tremendous effect on her life, but Ms Cunningham continues to mourn her late son.

Gabi Szentes passed away in the second decade of his life from Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, originating from a tumour the size of a cricket ball located near his heart.

Gabi underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, remaining headstrong during his intense sessions, insisting on wearing a bandana and returning to school.

Despite appearing to be on the mend, the cancer would return five months later, and his only option was to undergo an extremely risky chemotherapy treatment to be flown in from France.

Before he could undergo what felt like was he and his family’s final hope, Gabi passed away on November 5, 1990, at just 14.

Ms Cunningham says she thinks about Gabi every day since he passed away 21 years ago, highlighting how much potential he had at such a young age.

“He was a straight A student at St Joseph’s College in Geelong, he was flying a two-seater aircraft with his instructor at Barwon Heads Airport, he was going for his black belt in karate just before he passed away and his dream was to become a fighter pilot with the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF),” Ms Cunningham said.

“There is nothing worse than losing a child. If you ever have children, just treasure them like anything because it happened just like that.

“He had so much to live for and so much to give.”

Each year, St Joseph’s presents the Gabi Szentes Memorial Award to a student they feel has followed in Gabi’s footsteps.

Gabi has also inspired his mother to become a committed advocate for the Daffodil Day Appeal.

Ms Cunningham held her Biggest Morning Tea at the Star of the Sea retirement village in Torquay back in 2017 and received tremendous support from the local businesses in the area.

She called for each business to donate one gift to the event where Ms Cunningham would help auction them off to those who attended.

Her efforts have helped raise thousands of dollars for the Daffodil Day Appeal and more than $10,500 has been raised through the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea initiative this year alone.

“For research,” said Ms Cunningham when asked why people should donate to the Cancer Council.

“I just want further research towards cancer, as much as we can afford.

“The only way we can afford getting medication, technology, instruments and machines is if there is money sitting there.”

To donate to the Daffodil Day Appeal head to daffodilday.com.au.