Ocean Grove girls raise more than $13,000 for Peter MacCallum cancer centre in touching tribute to dad

A pair of Bellarine teens have raised more than $13,000 for cancer research in honour of their dad, a year after he passed away from a rare cancer.

A pair of Bellarine teens have raised more than $13,000 for cancer research in honour of their dad, a year after he passed away from a rare cancer.

Matilda and Harriet Stepto’s ‘Dad’s Girls’ fundraiser for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation had raised $13,391 by February 4 – the one-year anniversary of their father Nigel’s death.

And, as the Ocean Grove girls’ fundraising continues, they are both also preparing to slash off about 30cm of their long blonde hair to donate to Peter Mac’s Headwear and Wig Library.

Sisters Matilda and Harriet Stepto are fundraising in memory of their dad Nigel who died a year ago this week. Picture: Alan Barber

“Coming up to a year without Dad, we have decided to donate our hair to the Peter Mac Headwear and Wig Library to support patients during their treatment and raise money for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation,” the girls said when they launched their fundraiser on January 13.

“Dad was a Professor of Clinical Exercise Science at Victoria University … As a Professor, Dad understood the importance of funding for scientific research.

“We miss Dad every day but to remember him by doing something that we hope will make a difference is giving us so much too,” the girls said last week after passing the $12,000 milestone.

Nigel passed away following an 11 month battle with a sarcoma, a rare cancer that begins in the connective tissues of the body.

Fiona Dempster, the girl’s mum and Nigel’s wife, said the family had been “blown away” by the support for the fundraiser.

“It’s been a bit overwhelming I think,” she said on Friday. “It’s been 12 months yesterday since their dad died, so it was just an idea of trying to go through this phase with something a little bit positive to focus on I guess.”

“We think he’d think it was pretty amazing to be contributing to cancer research like this.”

To support the Dad’s Girls fundraiser visit fundraise.petermac.org.au/dadsgirls

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Originally published as Ocean Grove girls raise more than $13,000 for Peter MacCallum cancer centre in touching tribute to dad