Cherie Dear hopes to raise awareness, fund pancreatic cancer research through Bay of Hope

Hawthorn great Paul Dear’s widow is teaming up with the club to start an MCG tradition she hopes will have the same impact on pancreatic cancer as Neale Daniher’s Fight MND crusade.

Matthew Lloyd and Cherie Dear have both lost loved ones to pancreatic cancer. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The widow of Hawthorn great Paul Dear is teaming with the Hawks to start an MCG tradition she hopes has the same impact on pancreatic cancer as Neale Daniher’s Fight MND crusade.

Premiership star and Norm Smith Medallist Dear died from pancreatic cancer aged 55 last year, 22 months after being diagnosed.

With only three in 10 people diagnosed with the disease living more than a year, Cherie Dear wants to raise funds and awareness to fight it.

To bring attention to the cause, Hawthorn will take out an entire bay of seats at the MCG for an upcoming match to honour Dear and people who have suffered the disease.

The “Bay Of Hope’’ will be packed with silhouettes of people who have lost their lives to pancreatic cancer, with their names displayed individually.

“The Bay of Hope is a visual representation of the significance of the number of Australians who die every year from pancreatic cancer,” Mrs Dear said.

“Pancreatic cancer affects more people than most of us realise, it is on target to become the second deadliest cancer in Australia by 2030 and yet awareness and funding remains low.”

Loved ones of people who have died with pancreatic cancer are being urged to make a donation of any amount to add names to the bay, which Mrs Dear hopes becomes an annual fixture at the Dare to Hope match.

Hawthorn is starting a "Bay of Hope'' at the MCG – people will be able to buy a seat in the dedicated bay to pay tribute to people who have died of this disease and to raise money for research. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Money raised will go to the Paul Dear Pancreatic Cancer Fellowship will fund research into creating better outcomes for those affected by pancreatic cancer.

Mrs Dear said many people were unaware pancreatic cancer had the highest mortality rate of all main cancer types and took more lives each year than road trauma, killing more than 3500 Australians each year.

“We’re on a mission to sound the alarm for pancreatic cancer and change this because

pancreatic cancer patients and their loved ones deserve better,” she said.

“Getting a terminal diagnosis is bad enough but to then realise that despite the devastating statistic associated with it, awareness and funding is very low – it can make you feel very alone and without hope. We are trying to change that.”

Ex-Hawthorn player Paul Dear with wife Cherie. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Hawthorn footballer Paul Dear died of pancreatic cancer.

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd, whose dad John died of pancreatic cancer last year, backed the push.

“Pretty much once you’re diagnosed, 95 per cent of people get a secondary cancer and die within a couple of years,’’ he said.

“So the campaign is something I wanted to be involved in to honour dad and bring awareness because not a lot of people know a lot about pancreatic cancer despite how many people it’s taking.’’

Mrs Dear said the Daniher family’s raising awareness and research funds for MND was an inspiration.

“Every time I see a blue beanie I see that as an individual who says “I care”,” she said.

“The amount of support is phenomenal and must be so uplifting not just for the Daniher family but for everyone affected MND.

“That’s what my hope is for pancreatic cancer.”

Loves ones of pancreatic cancer death have until June 21 to nominate names for the Bay of Hope, to be staged at Hawthorn’s July 2 clash with Carlton.

“We want to sound the alarm about the dire statistics and to raise awareness and funding for more research so that other Australians in the future won’t go through what we’ve been through,” she said.

“People can make a donation and personalise with someone they want remembered or they can sponsor a generic silhouette to show they care.”

Go to www.daretohope.com.au to make donations or purchase a silhouette.