Movember - pledge your support!

During Movember (the month formerly known as November) men, young and old, across Australia will be cultivating some form of growth on their collective upper lips.

This year Cookster has signed up to become a Mo Bro to help change the state of men's health and to join the fight against male depression and prostate cancer.
Current statistics show that:

Depression affects 1 in 6 men...Most don't seek help. Untreated depression is a leading risk factor for suicide.

Last year in Australia 18,700 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 2,900 died of prostate cancer - equivalent to the number of women who die from breast cancer annually.

Men are far less healthy than women. The average life expectancy of males is 5 years less than females.

If you would like to sponsor my Mo can go to http://www.movember.com/au/donate enter my registration number which is 75928 and your credit card details. Or you can sponsor me by cheque made payable to the "Movember Foundation" clearly marking the donation as being for my Registration Number: 75928. Please mail cheques to: PO Box 292, Prahran VIC 3181. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

The money raised by Movember is donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue - the national depression initiative, which will use the funds to create awareness, fund research and increase support networks for those men who suffer from prostate cancer and male depression.

For those that have supported Movember in previous years you can be very proud of the impact it has had and can check out the detail at: Fundraising Outcomes.

More info is available at www.movember.com
GO THE MO!!!

Golf legends coming to Perth

Legends of international golf, including Ian Baker-Finch and Jan Stephenson, will gather in Perth for the Handa Australia Cup at Nedlands Golf Club on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 October 2007.

The Handa Australia Cup is the world’s only golf tournament to feature male and female golfing legends playing alongside the next generation of golfing stars, including the leading junior boy and girl from each state. It is also the only competition where male and female golfers compete for the same trophy.

The competition was founded by Japanese businessman and philanthropist Haruhisa Handa, who is also the Honorary Patron of the International Blind Golf Association.

“The Handa Australia Cup is about joining the generations – bringing together rising stars and past champions in one unique tournament,” Dr Handa explained.

Competing in the Senior Female category will be legends such as Jan Stephenson, Jane Blalock, Alicia Dibos and Cindy Rarick. These legends will compete alongside some of the world’s greatest male golfing icons, including Ian Baker-Finch, Roger Davis, Wayne Grady and 2006 champion Garry Merrick.

The 2007 Handa Australia Cup marks the return of golfing great Ian Baker-Finch to professional tournament golf after a five year break. “We are very excited that Ian has chosen to play our tournament and it’s a real honour to have him in Perth for his professional return,” said Tournament Chairman Wayne Smith.

Now in its second year, the 36 hole event will be preceded by a Pro Am on Friday, 26 October and the Australian Blind Golf Championship – Australian Open tournament from Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 October.

The purse for the senior men and women professionals will be AU$100,000. This is the second largest senior purse in Australia, surpassed only by the Handa Australian Senior Open Championship and the Legends Tour Open Championship to be played the following week at Concord Golf Club in Sydney.

Spectators for the Handa Australia Cup are welcome and entry is free. For further information contact Tournament Coordinator Gemma Liddelow at Vault Sports Management: gemma.liddelow@vaultsm.com or (08) 9228 0877.

What: Handa Australia Cup
Where: Nedlands Golf Club, Melvista Avenue, Nedlands
When: Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 October 2007 – daily tee off will commence at approximately 10.30am. The Pro-Am on Friday 26 October will have a shot gun start at 12.00pm.

Apologies...

I have been a very tardy correspondent of late and I blame Facecrack for this malaise... I've also been BUSY at my place of work and of late been as crook as a dog (love that saying!) with some kind of flu.

For now look me up at facebook, but I shall return to the blogosphere soon...