Gallery: It’s a Bloke Thing announces nationwide first at annual luncheon
A groundbreaking medical service set to save lives in rural Queensland has been announced at the annual It’s a Bloke Thing Luncheon, marking a nationwide first starting out of Toowoomba.
Annual fundraising luncheon It’s a Bloke Thing has announced a nationwide first which is set to bring lifesaving prostate cancer care to men across regional and rural areas.
On Friday hundreds of guests filled Wellcamp Airport for Queensland’s largest daytime fundraiser featuring surprise performances from Australian Idol singer James Johnston and Noiseworks lead singer Jon Stevens.
Now in its 15th year, guests continued to show their generosity reaching into their pockets and giving big to help fight a disease which affects one in six Australian men, raising a record-breaking $3,186,884 for prostate cancer research, becoming one of the highest earning charity auctions in Australian history.
This year’s donations more than doubled the previous year’s effort where more than $1.3m was raised.
It’s a Bloke Thing Foundation chairman Jack Wagner said he was blown away by the community’s philanthropy.
“The generosity in that room is spectacular, to raise $3.1m would be a record in Australia,” Mr Wagner said.
“We had a person win a car and generously donate it back to be auditioned off and bought by another Toowoomba business.
“Throughout the day we had auctions with big prizes, we had Condamine Cowbells which sell for $15,000 each, a trailer donated by the More Trailer group sold for $18,000.
“For the last 15 years people have come into that room and continue to dig deep every single year.”
In early 2026 It’s a Bloke Thing, in partnership with Heart of Australia, will launch Australia’s first Mobile PSA Blood Testing Service, to make it easier for men to get early prostate cancer diagnoses.
Heart of Australia founder Dr Rolf Gomes said their goal is to make healthcare more accessible for regional Australians and the partnership with It’s a Bloke Thing is another step towards that.
“Men in general are a bit more stoic in the regions and that sometimes isn’t the best thing for your health,” he said.
“We’ve got to get past that stoicism and be a bit more sensible and practical about our health.
“This is bringing it right to the doorstep of these communities.”
The Queensland government has pledged $400,000 to fund one of the mobile testing routes through the state.
The locations have not been finalised yet but the pilot program will likely cover areas including Quilpie, Charleville, St George, Miles, Roma, Richmond, and Julia Creek.
It’s a Bloke Thing chairperson Jack Wagner said he hopes this initiative can eventually cross state borders.
“Hopefully within 12 months, we can prove to the federal and state governments that they need to do this nationally,” he said.
Anthony ‘Bim’ Struss was diagnosed with prostate cancer after attending It’s a Bloke Thing Education Roadshow at the Mitchell show.
Living on a property north of Mitchell, Mr Struss said he wouldn’t have had an early diagnosis without It’s a Bloke Thing.
“One of the problems you have when you live in the bush, you don’t have that opportunity to talk to people about the medical field and we don’t have the same medical opportunities,” he said.
“Men, in the bush particularly, are very reticent to actually get up and say they’ve got a problem.
“It’s a Bloke Thing is critical in the bush to get that word out there, and to get men to come and talk.”
Living a long way from any major hospitals Mr Struss made frequent trips to Brisbane, where he had decided to get his treatment.
Funds raised at the Luncheon will go towards the mobile PSA testing program and donations can be made at https://www.itsablokething.com.au/.
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