Whangārei Pink Ribbon brunch raises record $15,000 for Breast Cancer research

The crowd at the Replenish Pink Ribbon Brunch at Whangārei Heads that raised $15,000 for the Breast Cancer Foundation. Photo / Magdalena Photography

A brunch with a difference has raised $15,000 - possibly a record amount from Northland - to help with breast cancer research.

The Whangārei Heads community came together last week to support a very worthy cause and held a Pink Ribbon brunch to raise money for the Breast Cancer Foundation.

Jodie and Gary Marlow offered up their newly built house and yoga shala (studio), high on top the hill overlooking Whangārei Harbour, as a venue for the Replenish Pink Ribbon Brunch.

Jodie Marlow, along with Jodie Hannam, had worked tirelessly over the previous three weeks to create something that they had both decided would be "fabulous".

Altogether 120 women descended on the Marlow home for an afternoon of delicious food, bubbles, a fashion show for Polwarth's Design.

Speakers included Dr Vanessa Blair, one of New Zealand's leading breast cancer specialists, as well as two breast cancer survivors who bravely told their stories.

The afternoon culminated in a very rowdy auction whereby guests bid on more than 40 items that had been donated by members of the local community - one donor even ended up buying back her donated item at more money than it had cost her to buy.

In the catwalk at the Replenish Pink Ribbon Brunch fashion show. Photo / Magdalena Photography

"From the first moment Jodie asked me to be involved, we decided we wanted to make this an afternoon to remember,'' Jodie Hannam said.

"This is a disease that has struck this community so hard, with many people already having lost friends or loved ones to this horrible illness. We wanted to aim big and do as much as we could to raise as much money as we could.

''People in our community didn't hesitate to come on board and support the event. Getting involved with Polwarth's Design and having a few guests step completely out of their comfort zone to model their clothes was so much fun, and the donations received for the auction were mind-blowing - I could barely keep up."

A fashion show, organised by Polwarth's Design, was part of the Replenish Pink Ribbon Brunch at Whangārei Heads. Photo / Magdalena Photography

The two Jodies were aiming to raise at least $10,000 for NZ Breast Cancer so were overwhelmed to tally up the results and realise that they have raised over $14,000. But even then there were more surprises to come with one incredibly generous donor insisting on making up the difference to bring the total up to $15,000.

"The Whangārei Heads community really came together on this one with everyone digging deep, This is an amazing result and we are very proud to have been a part of it," she said.

Last year 61 people in Northland hosted a Pink Ribbon Breakfast event, raising $14,281.
Around 170 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the Northland DHB area every year, and around 25 will die from it.