‘Shout for a Mate’: Bowlers hit the greens
In the midst of his battles with cancer, Geoff Elletson had a brainwave.
‘Shout for a Mate’ was born, inspired by the generosity he would see at his home-away-from-home, Mitcham Bowling Club. Instead of everyone buying each other drinks, people could donate to a cause.
Unfortunately, Geoff ran out of time to see it launch, and so it instead remains as his legacy to fight a terrible cancer.
Almost all of Geoff’s treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma was at the Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre (PFMCC), where he took part in clinical trials.
“Dad loved lawn bowls, with Mitcham being his family,” Geoff’s daughter, Christine, said. “He was your typical goofy dad who would always try and pull off the worst jokes and had the driest sense of humour."
Andrew McFarland, one of his best mates, remembered Geoff as “tenacious and always up for a challenge”.
“Geoff was one of those guys who didn’t commit to anything without giving it his 110 per cent,” he said.
Andrew hopes that Geoff’s famously dry and quirky sense of humour would have appreciated Christine winning a club title recently — something which he was unable to do throughout his extensive time on the greens, which included playing in Mitcham’s top pennant team.
The event brings together everything Geoff loved: the bowls community, friendly rivalry and plenty of banter.
Shout for a Mate was held in March, with his family and friends planning for it to become an annual event. All funds raised will support world-leading care, research and clinical trials of metastatic uveal melanoma at the PFMCC at The Alfred.
About $11,000 was raised - an incredible achievement - with more than 40 people coming to celebrate Geoff.
"There were positive vibes everywhere," Christine said. "It was a lovely night, and it was great to see people come together for it."
It is one of many community-led events that are held every year which play a vital role in supporting world‑leading care and research at The Alfred.
