Recognition for fundraiser Sean
14/02/2024
Sean Brady’s long-term work raising funds and awareness for Melanoma UK has been recognised with a Toby Sunderland Award.
Brady, 36, was nominated as The PGA in England, East’s regional recipient of the award which celebrates outstanding charitable deeds by PGA Members. The PGA Professional – golf manager at Diss Golf Club – had surgery to remove skin cancer ten years ago.
It proved transformative time for 36-year-old Sean, who swapped a retail position for a golf career via The PGA. He also vowed to undertake charitable work and in the last couple of years has been heavily involved with fundraising days at Eaton Golf Club, Norwich where he was an assistant professional.
Work-wise Sean has now moved 20 or so miles south to Diss but his commitment to using golf as a platform to support Melanoma UK is set to continue in 2024.
Why did you choose to raise funds and awareness for Melanoma UK?
A number of reasons. I was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer ten years ago. I feel I was very lucky to have Professor Marc Moncrief at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital as my consultant; he is a specialist in this area. With his and his team’s help, I had a successful operation on my left knee and left hip to remove the melanoma cancer.
From that, I then changed career from being at Asda to getting my first assistant’s role at King’s Lynn Golf Club under Mike Timson. From the moment I got that role, every year I’ve thought about ways of raising money for either the hospital or Melanoma UK as so many people get affected by it and it is one of the UK’s fastest growing cancers (but very treatable if detected early enough. I was told if I hadn’t noticed a change in a mole on my knee when I was 25 that, at the age I am now, there was a high percentage chance that I wouldn’t be here).
After Covid a friend, Chloe Rowswell and her family at Eaton Golf Club, told me her uncle Neil was diagnosed with melanoma and passed away after a short battle.
From there I spoke with her Neil’s mum Wendy and put together the first of the charity golf days. We held a members Texas scramble and then the main charity day. We had so much support for these days, so decided to do it again last year too.
These days were made even better by Professor Marc Moncrief attending with some of the nurses from the dermatology department to give advice on sun cream and talk about melanoma skin cancer
How involved in the golf fundraisers are you?
My part is organising and hosting the golf days. A lot of the credit for the money raised has to go to Wendy and Stan Evans (Chloe’s grandparents) and Chloe’s family who have done so much work behind the scenes with raffles, fund raisers, getting prizes, decorating the events. Also, contacting Melanoma UK and setting up the fundraising page for the Horus Body mapping machine (a lesion identification unit).
How much money have you helped to raise for Melanoma UK
In the first 18 months we have been able to raise enough money to purchase the Horus body mapping machine. A lot came from online donations from all and a very kind donation from Wendy and Stan to make sure the Horus machine could be purchased quicker.
This year, from the two golf days alone, we raised just over £8000, to which the money was split between two causes. We were raising money to help Meghan McClay to pay for her treatment for Ocular Melanoma and raising money for the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital, so that Professor Moncrief could purchase 2 EndoCAMeleon telescopes that will help not only just cancer operations but also trauma operations/procedures.
How proud are you to be the recipient of the East's Toby Sunderland Award for 2023?
I am extremely proud to receive this award, but I have to emphasise that this award isn't just for me; it's also for Wendy and Stan Evans, Chloe Rowswell’s family, Megan McClay & her partner Dimi and Sonia (Neil’s partner). As a group we've done this and will continue to try our best to raise as much money as possible.
Have you got any fresh fundraising plans for the future?
There are plans to hold both of the golf days for the first time this year at Diss Golf Club.
