Glen Trigg is swinging for a cancer-free future. Photo: Cancer Council.
Glen “Triggy” Trigg is about to have The Longest Day, and he’s pretty pumped about it.
The Illawarra man has signed up for “The Longest Day” charity event – the ultimate golf challenge designed to test the skill, strength and stamina of its participants, who complete 36, 54 or 72 holes of golf in a single day while raising vital funds for Cancer Council’s lifesaving research.
Besides being a Wollongong Golf Club member for 43 years, Triggy has more than one reason to take it on.
“My two children, their first dad passed away when they were young kids aged two and four,” he says. “One of my best mates passed away a couple of years ago from cancer and that hit me pretty hard … Everyone’s been touched by cancer and we hear it all the time.”
Almost one in two Australians are expected to hear the words ‘you have cancer’ by the age of 85. Across NSW, it was estimated that 53,229 people would be diagnosed with cancer in 2023 – that’s 146 cases per day. It was also estimated that 15,825 people were expected to die from cancer in NSW – 44 people a day.
Cancer Council NSW’s Naomi Watson says funds raised by The Longest Day challengers will go towards funding Cancer Council’s world-class cancer research, helping save lives and bringing us closer to a cancer-free future.
“Thanks to investment in research to date, amazing advancements have been made in cancer prevention, screening and treatment – helping increase survival rates from 51 per cent in the late 1980s to around 70 per cent today,” she says.
This year, The Longest Day will officially take place on 9 December, but participants can take on the challenge at their local golf club anytime during December and January.
Triggy has set himself a $5000 goal and a strategy in place to achieve it.
“Usually for fundraising, I’ll have a raffle every year at the golf club. I’ve got a lot of mates who sponsor me and they might actually say to me and Colin, ‘Every birdie you guys make, I’ll give you 10 bucks,'” he says.
“I’m fortunate enough that I’ve got a lot of people who have been sponsoring in the last few years and there are a lot of generous people in this golf club, which makes it good when people come up and they’re happy to donate.
“There’s no amount that is too big or too small. It doesn’t have to be as big as everybody else, but it’s all about lots and lots and lots of small amounts – that’s what it’s all about.”
Triggy reckons we’ll sink cancer one day – but it’ll take a collective effort.
“It’s good if I can just do my little bit and help raise a little bit of money for those wonderful people out there who put their time into trying to work out cures … There are a lot of special people out there, they’re the special ones,” he says. “We’re gonna beat cancer one day … we’re going to get rid of it.”
To support Triggy in his goal of raising $5000 for vital Cancer Council research visit The Longest Day. For cancer information and support call Cancer Council’s 13 11 20 Information and Support line.
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