Corporate News

Villawood’s Rory Costelloe has topped the Dry July cancer fund-raiser leaderboard on two fronts – the highest individual tally and the highest team tally – for a phenomenal sixth year in a row.

Rory raised $45,000 in Barwon Health Foundation’s Team Love total of more than $97,000. Both the team and individual tallies have been the top Dry July campaigns every year since 2021.

The team total over that time is just shy of $500,000, with Rory posting an extraordinary $260,000-plus of that figure.

Rory co-captained Team Love with Shelley Neilson, a familiar and much-loved face at the Andrew Love Cancer Centre Wellness Lounge.

“Thank you to the many, many generous people who donated to my campaign this year,” Rory said.

“It’s been incredible to see so many dig deep to help cancer patients and their families. I take part in Dry July in memory of my brother Justin, claimed by cancer eight years ago, my niece with two small children who succumbed to cancer two months ago, and a cousin and a friend’s son-in-law, also with young children, who passed just in recent weeks.

“Our 2026 campaign funds will be a tremendous help to the Andrew Love Cancer Centre.”

The 2026 Dry July funds will support wellness programs and patient services at the Andrew Love Cancer Centre Wellness Lounge, including art therapy and other initiatives that provide comfort beyond treatment.

The campaign funds will also help fund seven additional chemotherapy chairs to meet growing demand, along with specialised exercise equipment to support patients” strength, mobility and recovery.