Rina Sandford hosts fundraising concert after husband Michael Sandford’s cancer diagnosis

An Ipswich mother hosted a fundraising concert with live band music, a photo booth and a raffle, raising more than $4500.

Michael and Rina Sandford.

A Springfield Lakes mother has hosted a fundraising concert after her husband was diagnosed with cancer.

Rina Sandford, 60, organised her second fundraiser for Cancer Council two weeks ago, raising more than $4500 in total.

The idea came after Ms Sandford’s husband Michael was diagnosed with cancer three years ago.

“He’d been going for regular blood tests at my assistance every year on his birthday,” she said.

“His doctor was a little bit concerned because the PSA number, which indicates the prostate cancer, was a little elevated.”

After going through a few referrals and tests, Mr Sandford was confirmed with cancer.

Ms Sandford said more research is needed to stop people like her husband from travelling the awful path so the couple decided to put up the concert.

“I thought: ‘Well, I’m going to go big or go home,’” she said.

“And before I knew what I had done, I had booked the band.

“Every single cent that was raised on that day went to the Cancer Council.”

Kick Cancer to the Curb concert in Springfield Lakes on June 1, 2024. Picture: Brit Beat Mania

The concert included live band music, a photo booth and a raffle.

Local band Brit Beat Mania did not charge the audience a single penny for their performance.

Founder and guitarist Gary Allen, who is also a cancer survivor, said the band committed to perform free for the good deeds at least once a year.

“We want to try and help in any way we can, and we’re committed to do it,” Mr Allen said.

“Because cancer obviously is a very, very sort of difficult thing and any funding we can help with, it’s fantastic.”

Kick Cancer to the Curb concert in Springfield Lakes on June 1, 2024. Picture: Brit Beat Mania

Raffle prizes, which were donated by local businesses and purchased by Ms Sandford with her Flybuys points, also brought smiles to participants.

“We wanted to do the right thing by the community … without it costing us too much money, (as) my husband and I both retired,” she said.

“This was just a way that we could make it interesting for people.

“Who doesn’t like to be flattered?”

Mr Sandford was able to recover after a surgery within weeks of his diagnosis.

“He was one of the very, very lucky ones where the GP picked it up early,” Ms Sandford said.

“Within two months, he was on the operating table.

“It was all done via robotics, and they were able to remove it all.”

Originally published as Rina Sandford hosts fundraising concert after husband Michael Sandford’s cancer diagnosis