World's Greatest Shave - Leukaemia Foundation

[Reschsmooth]

Guys, most of you would have heard of the Leukaemia Foundation's (LF) "World's Greatest Shave" charity event, where people arrange to have their hair coloured, dyed or shaved/shaven (choose correct word) off (or, as they say in Brisbane "orf").

My company and I are participating in this for 3 main reasons:

1. My father was diagnosed with Leukaemia in August 2005, went into remission in December 2005 (thanks to the fantastic work of the oncology department at Westmead Hospital) and was re-diagnosed again in January this year.
2. This is a great fundraising event that benefits a worthwhile organisation.
3. In our industry (Financial Planning), there are many payments and kickbacks that financial planners get which create conflicts of interest (which is basically a situation where the client's interests are in conflict with that of the planner to maximise the amount they get paid). One of these areas is via the use of "platforms" (admin systems) which pay planning groups "volume rebates", which are basically commissions by another name. My company rebates all commissions and brokerages back to clients, but, unfortunately, is in receipt of these volume rebates, which can not effectively be rebated back to clients. At the end of all that, we, with the agreement of affected clients, are going to donate all the rebate we have received to the LF via the Greatest Shave. We are challenging all other financial planning groups to do the same! phew!

I, along with a colleague, will have our heads shaved and all this is occurring on Friday,16 March at our office in Brookvale, where Ex-Olympian Melinda Gainsford-Taylor has committed to doing the honours. Whilst technicalities are to be confirmed, we are hoping to have Channel 10's Tim Bailey present his weather report from the event to additionally promote the charity fundraising.

If you would like to show your support, then please register online as a sponsor (details below)


Go to Worlds Greatest Shave

Click on DONATE

Select I am sponsoring someone who is shaving

Press Next

Go Down to Group Name section

Type in Strategy First

Press Search

Click on SPONSOR (next to Strategy First)


Type in your contact details

Type in your credit card details


Click CONFIRM


The Leukaemia Foundation will email you a receipt for tax purposes.


To give you some added motivation or to simply give you a laugh,
please see a “Photoshop” prediction of just how silly Dave and Pat
will look on the World’s Greatest Shave website. They are both registered
under Strategy First Financial Planning and to locate the photos, click on the link below.


http://www.worldsgreatestshave.com/profile.php?id=291554

Your help would be greatly appreciated by those who are directly or indirectly affected by leukaemia.

Mods, if this is inappropriate or in the wrong area, feel free to move/delete.

Cheers

Patrick

[Geoff]

Great cause Patrick - I will certainly throw a few $$ your way!

[Reschsmooth]

Thanks Geoff - greatly appreciated

[Reschsmooth]

Bump?

[Manta]

One good bump deserves another. Having recently lost my father-in-law to this insidious disease, I'm happy to contribute Patrick. Hope you raise HEAPS. I may well do the deed myself next year... take me that long to build up the courage!

[Glen]

Great cause Patrick, will kick in there.


Just fixed your link, it wasn't working

[Reschsmooth]

Thanks guys - every dollar is greatly appreciated!

We are very close to confirming that this event may receive Channel 10 coverage, including footage of our heads being shawn! Will keep posted.

Cheers

Patrick

[gstark]

footage of our heads

Better than headage of your feet.

[Reschsmooth]

footage of our heads

Better than headage of your feet.

Quite!

[radar]

Pat,

just added my donation. It is an awful disease. One of our best friend has just been diagnosed with the AML variety of leukemia, which is one of the worst ones He started his chemo a couple weeks ago.

He's only 47.

Good one Pat, thanks,

André
(edit: fix the acronym)

[Reschsmooth]

Thanks a lot Andre - my father had the acute version (not sure which acronym that is), which is more treatable than the chronic, but only if you catch it early.

I didn't mention earlier, but we are also trying to negotiate with a very large financial institution to double whatever we are able to raise (trust me, they can afford it).

Cheers

P

[radar]

sorry about the acronym, typed it wrong to start with

AML = Acute Myeloid Leukaemia

remission is only rated at 20%

André

[DaveB]

My father died from leukaemia last year. Thanks for supporting WGS!
I've just sent some $$ to your group. Last year my wife Jane shaved her head, but we haven't got the energy this year.  BTW, I've reported to the site admins that the donation form doesn't work properly with the Safari browser. I had to use FireFox to get it to keep my name and address information.

[Geoff]

It is indeed a great cause and an awful disease. We treat quite a few AML patients at work, sadly by the time they get to us, they often don't leave. Great work Patrick, seriously mate - kudos to you!

[Reschsmooth]

Geoff & Andre, I am not 100% sure which type my father had/s, although I am confident it is one of the acute varieties. He was incredibly luck to have been diagnosed quickly as he, being a vet, is very used to self-diagnosis of any malady.

I guess the reason I wasn't sure of the type was due to my way of dealing with the diagnosis - put on my professional hat and provide assistance to my mother (primarily) and father as opposed to emotional support - I guess this allowed me to hide, which may not have been the best way to deal with it.

P

[Reschsmooth]

A friendly bump - today's the day I lose my luscious locks of hair.

We have received an enormous amount of support, including from members of this forum, for which I (on behalf of the LF) greatly appreciate.

We have also achieved a lot of publicity regarding one of the reasons behind our initiative in our industry press, including a front page article in one magazine, to the point that, in my view at least, one of the big players who we are trying to pick a fight with has sought to respond via an op-ed!

So, today's not the last day for you to make a tax-deductible donation for this fantastic cause!

Cheers

P

[Glen]

Thanks for the reminder Patrick, just went and made my donation for this worthwhile cause. Hope the new haircut comes out ok

[Reschsmooth]

Thanks for that Glen, it is greatly appreciated.

Also, Geoff has kindly agreed to act as the official photographer for the day and volunteered to donate half his payment to the Foundation - so a big thank you* to Geoff - that is excellent generosity and shows a great spirit!

Cheers

P



* I reserve the right to withdraw these thanks if Geoff makes me look too, shall we say, freaky in the photos!

[Reschsmooth]

Well, my head has been shawn, and Geoff captured it all on digital memory. The afternoon was great - we had a tremendous show of support. Mel Gainsford-Taylor did a great job in not drawing any blood - seriously, she did a great job.

Geoff did an awesome job taking photos of the day, interacting fantastically with everyone and I look forward to seeing the photos. As a result of seeing Geoff in action today, I would endorse him as a photographer for anyone's wedding or important event. Thanks a bunch Geoff!

And again, thanks for everyone who has supported us in raising money for the Leukaemia Foundation - and it isn't too late to log on and donate!

Cheers

Patrick

[Geoff]

Wow! Very kind words, thanks Pat!
Ok...

Before:



During:



And after:



It was indeed a great afternoon, it went soo quickly and there are a tonne of images! Congrats to Patrick and the rest of his team that helped earn a lot of $$ for the LF!

[Nnnnsic]

Agghhh! Agghhh!!!

The bald-cricket-cranking-medium-formatting-aroma-artiste is here!

Run! Run for your lives!

[Geoff]

Thought I had to show this one too:

[Reschsmooth]

Umm, thanks Geoff??

[Reschsmooth]

Just to let everyone know, as it stands, we have raised over $10,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation, which I think is a great effort, and only made possible because people have been so generous.

Whilst it is not too late to make a donation, I want to thank, again, everyone who sponsored us, and Geoff who pretty much donated his time to take some great photos of the event.

Thanks

Patrick

[Glen]

Well done Patrick on the amount you raised. Congrats on the photography Geoff.

[Reschsmooth]

As an update, our company, via the generous support of many friends, has raised an even $11,000 for the Foundation.

A great effort of which I am proud to have played a part!

Thanks to all those who donated.

P

[adam]

At uni yesterday, outside the engineering faculty, they were waxing chests and between legs (as well as shaving heads). eee!

[Ronza]

One of the groundskeepers lost his 30-year old moustache on Friday, don't think he quite came close to the $11000 contribution you've managed Patrick!


30 MAR 2007 - NOVAR GARDENS, ADELAIDE - After 30 years, Russel Barnett loses his moustache courtesy of college principal Kevin Richardson at the annual Immanuel College Athletics Carnival held on campus at Novar Gardens, Adelaide on the 30th of March 2007.

[adam]

great shot Ronnie