10 Bondi Junction stars dance to beat cancer

A surf club president, a school teacher and a police officer are only some of the personalities that will come together to raise funds for Cancer Council NSW in Stars of the East, a dance gala on 5 November at Bondi Junction’s Easts Leagues Club.

The night will see 10 local business people, community leaders and cancer survivors joined with professional dance instructors to perform a routine while fundraising to help people affected by cancer.

The lineup this year includes Gavin Rubinstein (Ray White Group’s Number 1 Salesperson Globally for 2015), Leon Goltsman (Waverley Council Councillor), Brenda Miley (Founder/Operator of Let’s Go Surfing), Chrissa Panigiris (Bronte Public School teacher), Anji Lake (BresicWhitney Sales Consultant), Elliot Donazzan (CEO at twenty¹ media), Constable Emma Condon (Constable at Kings Cross LAC), Paul Apostoles (Senior Development Manager and Partner at Precinct 75), Jacob Waks (President of Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club), and David MacDonald (Physiotherapist at Infinite Healthcare Randwick).

Each performance of the night will be judged by an influential panel that includes Mayor Sally Betts (Mayor of Waverley), Leeanne Bampton (choreographer for Dancing with the Stars and owner of Sydney Ballroom dance school), and Scott Bennetts (2015 participant and Group CEO of the Easts Group).

Cosie Sekhas, who organises Stars of the East at Cancer Council NSW, said that last year the event raised $150,000, which doubled expectations and they are hoping to increase the donations by even more this year.

“Stars of the East offers a unique platform for our stars to do something completely out of their comfort zone whilst raising funds for Cancer Council NSW, a cause that is so close to many of their hearts,” Sekhas said. “1 in 2 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime so it’s a disease that affects everyone in some way. The stars are already out in the community fundraising and receiving amazing support so we hope more local residents will continue to get behind them and Cancer Council by donating and attending on the night.”

Funds raised by Stars of the East will go towards supporting local initiatives of Cancer Council NSW, such as the Cancer Council Information Centre, an information and support service at the Prince of Wales Hospital assisting those affected by cancer. Funds will also assist cancer prevention programs, such as SunSmart Schools and Sun Sound, both running throughout the Eastern Suburbs.

For more information or to donate to Cancer Council NSW’s Stars of the East, visit starsoftheeast.gofundraise.com.au or call 9334 1450. Tickets for the gala are $120 each, or $1,440 for a table of 12.