Dare The Boss: Manly Daily editor Nick Calacouras to shave hair for Children’s Cancer Institute

The Manly Daily editor will shave his head as part of a fundraiser for the Children’s Cancer Institute. Northern Beaches workers are being urged to get their own boss involved in a challenge for the Dare The Boss campaign,

Manly Daily Editor Nick Calacouras will shave his hair for 'Dare the Boss' challenge to raise money for a children's cancer charity. Picture: Braden Fastier

I’ve been painfully aware of cancer my entire life.

My father has bravely fought off this dreaded disease four times.

The first time was just before I was born. The most recent was only a couple of months ago.

And I’ve seen first hand some of the developments doctors have made in this field – from robotic assisted surgery to chemotherapy in a pill.

Would you brave icy cold conditions to swim with the Bold and the Beautiful swim squad? Pic Stephen Cooper

Progress is being made every day.

I’m ashamed to say a part of me has always viewed my father’s cancers through a selfish prism: when it comes knocking on my door, will I face this evil disease with his strength and bravery?

Lately, my mind has gone to a much scarier place. What would I do if it comes for my kids?

More than 950 Australian children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every year.

It claims three young lives every week.

We have made progress here too.

Sixty years ago a child diagnosed with cancer was a death sentence.

Today, eight in 10 will survive. But we need to do much more.

The treatment for a child can be incredibly difficult.

Would you five with sharks? Picture Craig Greenhill

Some types of aggressive childhood cancers don’t respond to standard therapies.

And if they do, 70 per cent of survivors walk away with side effects.

Nearly half of these are categorised as chronic, and can include infertility, learning disorders, heart problems, diabetes, hearing loss and secondary cancer.

The Children’s Cancer Institute is the only independent medical research organisation in Australia dedicated 100 per cent to childhood cancer research.

They exist solely to cure childhood cancer, create targeted treatments for individual children and improve the quality of life for survivors.

We want to do our part to help – and we’re asking for your aid.

The Manly Daily is signing up for the CCI’s Dare the Boss campaign to raise money to cure childhood cancer.

The reporters have dared me to raise $2800 and shave my head. I’ve accepted.

We’ll be raising money over the next few months and if we reach our target by October, the Manly Daily will perform a live broadcast on social media showing the big event.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be talking to other teams in the Manly Daily to see if we can dare a few other bosses to take on challenges that are outside their comfort zone – from a freezing cold Bold and the Beautiful ocean swim, to getting up close and personal with a shark.

And while we’re doing our part, I’m calling on employees on the northern beaches to get on board.

Talk to your co-workers and your boss and come up with your own dare.

Work together to raise the funds and we’ll spread the word in the pages of the Manly Daily.

Let’s all do our bit to give kids a fighting chance.

To sponsor Nick, visit https://donate.ccia.otg.au/my-fundraising/568/nicks-dare-the-boss-nick-calacouras

Will you Dare your Boss?

Register now with the Children’s Cancer Institute and set a fundraising target.

The dares are to be completed anytime before October 31.

Let us know about your dare at [e-mail]

For more information, visit www.daretheboss.com.au