By JESSE GRAHAM
A COMMUNITY-involved man has shaved his head with his son as part of the World’s Greatest Shave and is raising money as he goes through his own leukaemia treatment.
Rob Bloye, 67, was diagnosed with smouldering myeloma, an early stage cancer of plasma cells, five years ago and has just started chemotherapy.
He said that he was diagnosed early and monitored for the past five years until the doctor said his “nasty” cell count was elevated.
“This isn’t a curable thing,” he said.
“You just have to hope that it won’t come back until later.”
Mr Bloye and his son Andrew both went under the razor as part of the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Great Shave and are now aiming to raise $7000 for the charity.
“When we decided to support the foundation, we set modest goals – we said that if we could get $10 that would be great,” he said.
“We set a goal of $500 and in one day I got $500 from teachers at my old school, so now our goal is $7000.”
Mr Bloye was the principal at Mullum Primary School in Ringwood, before teaching at Mount Evelyn Primary School for three years.
Now, he plays lawn bowls with the Upwey Tecoma Bowls Club and plays golf when he can.
He said that he has lived in Montrose for 42 years and, since he shaved his hair and trademark beard, people haven’t been able to recognise him.
“I played cricket with Montrose over the years and my wife and I have been in a lot of things,” he said.
“I had a big white beard and white hair – people used to call me Kenny Rogers.
“Now the beard and hair is just fuzz.”
Mr Bloye is undergoing his eighth cycle of chemotherapy treatment, which runs for two weeks, with a one-week break in between.
“As part of the process, my sleeping pattern has changed,” he said.
“I’ve been getting up at 4am to write my life story – I’m writing it down for my children and grandchildren.
“Rather than this being a negative experience, I believe my treatment will be successful and I’m completing something important to me.”
Mr Bloye and his son have been campaigning heavily to raise their goal before their deadline of 31 May and their fundraising is sitting at around $5500.
Croydon Leisure Centre, where Mr Bloye often goes, has offered a one-year membership valued at around $1200 to be silently auctioned for the fundraising effort.
The membership includes full access to the gym, pool and golf at Ringwood and Dorset Golf Courses.
“It’s been amazing, the support I’m getting from all these different areas,” he said.
Mr Bloye said he would like to have an event at the end of the fundraising effort, with the presentation of the membership to the winning bidder and a cheque to the Leukaemia Foundation.
For more information on the silent auction, contact Rob Bloye on 9728 3559.
