Melbourne Demons plan to raise breast cancer awareness annually following successful Field of Women event with Western Bulldogs

THE spectacular success of Saturday night’s Field of Women event has the Demons planning to raise awareness for breast cancer with a yearly event.

THE spectacular success of Saturday night’s Field of Women event has the Demons planning to raise awareness for breast cancer with a yearly event.

The Field of Women event raised over $500,000 for charity and while the logistics behind it mean it cannot be held every year, the Demons plan to continue the association.

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Demons chief executive Peter Jackson said yesterday the club would nominate a game every year to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Network of Australia (BCNA).

Melbourne and the Bulldogs will this year hold their second womens’ football game and shape as a natural fit to hold the Field of Women event again in the future.

Around 15,000 people filled the Pink Lady at the MCG.

The AFL and BCNA both said yesterday they were open to the Demons being a permanent part of the Field of Women event when it occurs every second or third year.

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BCNA spokeswoman Laura Crowden said the sheer size of the event — 15,000 people flooded the MCG to represent the number diagnosed every year — means it might at some stage be too big for an AFL venue.

Jack Viney and the Demons wore commemorative pink and blue jumpers against the Bulldogs.

Jackson said the Demons were delighted to play a part in the success of the night.

“I think we want to have an ongoing relationship with the BCNA on an annual basis. I am not sure the Field of Women can be an annual thing given the effort it takes to put together, but we will talk to them about maintaining the relationship and devoting the game each year to the BCNA and breast cancer awareness.

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“We are already working with the Dogs to recognise womens’ role in football so we want to keep that relationship going.”

Crowden said yesterday the BCNA was ecstatic with the support from the AFL community.

The Pink Lady glowing in the dark. Picture: Michael Klein

“Melbourne were fantastic, we couldn’t have asked for more from them and we would definitely look to involve them again.

“It is unlikely to be an annual event given the logistical undertaking. We would talk to the AFL again about which clubs are involved.

“Because the event represents the number of women diagnosed each year it is increasing and we are not sure we can hold it in its current format again.

“When we held the first event there were 11,500 people involved, and if we hold it again in two years it might be past 16,000.”