Graham's dress sense for Frocktober

Graham Winbank’s wardrobe is changing for October. His regular board shorts and tank tops are out – and summer dresses in!

For 31 days the Burpengary East resident will wear dresses to work, when out of his house and to a fundraiser at Scarborough Harbour Brewing to support loveyourovaries’ Frocktober charity fundraiser.

Graham aims to raise $57,032 – one dollar more than last year – as he honours a wish of his wife Lisa who died from ovarian cancer in 2020 aged 52.

This is the third year Graham, a day procedure unit manager at Caboolture Hospital, has frocked-up to raise awareness and support ovarian cancer research.

He raised $16,500 for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation in 2020 and $36,000 in 2021 when Frocktober was launched.

Little Party Dress has given 30 frocks and is a major sponsor of this year’s fundraiser. Dresses have also come from Paddington, Melbourne and Townsville fashion outlets.

There will be charity evenings in Townsville, where Graham’s daughters live on October 13 and at Scarborough Harbour Brewing, in Bird O’Passage Pde, on October 27.

Dresses will be modelled by bearded men, like Graham, on the night, before being auctioned off.

“I still get looks, but it's the younger generation that accept my wearing a dress,” Graham says.

“The older generation seem to be more apprehensive of a six-feet two-inch, tattooed block wearing dresses in public!

“Each year I am privileged to be supplied dresses by fashion houses. Each dress is worn once and then sold or auctioned off with all proceeds going to loveyourovaries' Frocktober Charity.

“This year has been difficult for everyone. But at loveyourovaries we recognise the difficulties, so all we are asking is for individuals to donate the cost of a coffee.

“If this would occur the Redcliffe peninsula could fund over a year's of research.”

There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer. Research is making “substantial advances”, says Graham, but every day five women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and three pass away.

The charity night at Scarborough Harbour Brewing will feature music by Vixens of Fall, auctions of art, sporting memorabilia, fashion and raffles.

Ovarian cancer facts

• One Australian dies every eight hours from ovarian cancer
• There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer. Most cases are diagnosed in advanced stages.
• The development of an early detection test could lift survival rates in excess of 90 per cent and is key to saving lives
• Ovarian cancer is Australia’s most lethal gynaecological cancer
• If caught before the cancer has spread, survival rates are as high as 92 per cent. Only 19 per cent of cases are diagnosed early

To find out more, visit the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation website by clicking here.