Bottoms up!

By Tania Martin
MAROONDAH Hospital’s cancer unit and Alzheimer’s Victoria were big winners last week having each received $5000 after a group of Invicta bus drivers bared all in a calendar to raise money.
The calendar, titled Buses and Bottoms, featured 19 drivers that had taken the plunge to pose nude in the calender.
The project was the brainchild of Mt Evelyn residents and bus drivers Catherine and Bryan Blackwell.
Catherine said she was surprised with the amount of calendars that were sold as she only expected to raise $1000 each for the hospital and Alzheimer’s Victoria.
The calendar was launched in August last year and has gained support from not only local residents but across Australia, the United States, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany and New Zealand.
Catherine said the website that was set up as part of the project had also gained popularity as it received more than 4000 hits, with visits from staff at NASA and the Pentagon.
Catherine and Bryan decided to raise the money as they felt something needed to be done to raise money for the Maroondah Hospital’s cancer unit after three Invicta bus drivers died from cancer in 2004 within six week sof one another.
She said that Alzheimer’s had touched her as well, as her grandmother suffered with it.
Maroondah Hospital cancer unit nurse manager Margaret Haugh said the money would go towards the purchase of a monitor that will be used on patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Meanwhile, Alzheimer’s Victoria general manager of development and community relations, Holly Thurman, said the funds would be used for its community awareness program.
Ms Thurman said last year the Federal Government declared that dementia was a national health priority and while the government provides funding it doesn’t always stretch far enough.
She said fundraising like the calendar project is just what Alzheimer’s Victoria needs to help with funding for its awareness and help line programs.
Catherine said after the success of the Buses and Bottoms project she would consider looking at doing similar projects in the future.