“I had a sore shoulder for six months. I thought I’d just injured it at work…”
When Stacey Walvin first began experiencing shoulder pain in 2020, she assumed it was a work-related injury, an occupational hazard for a lifelong dance teacher. After months of seeing physiotherapists and massage therapists with no relief, the persistent pain led to something far more serious: a diagnosis of chondrosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
“Wasn’t 2020 a fun year?” Stacey says with trademark humour, masking the deep and sudden shift that diagnosis brought to her life.
This August, Stacey marks five years in remission, a milestone filled with gratitude, reflection, and resilience. But the path to this point has been far from smooth. The surgery required to remove the tumour left her without the use of her shoulder joint, which is an unimaginable outcome for someone whose life has been spent moving to music and guiding others to do the same.
“The hardest part has been not being able to tie up my own hair,” Stacey admits. “That was something I never thought I’d miss, but it’s the small, everyday things you grieve the most. I live with pain every day. It comes and goes, but it’s manageable. What surprises me most is the emotional pain which still catches me off guard.”
She recalls a moment at the beach, watching windsurfers with her family. A sudden wave of grief hit her when realising she’d never be able to do something like that. “I burst into tears. Then my family gently asked me, ‘Did you ever want to windsurf?” I laughed, because the answer was no. It wasn’t about the activity, it was about the choice being taken away from me.
Despite everything, Stacey has remained deeply connected to her passion: dance. She continues to run her beloved Generation Dance Centre, though she’s had to adapt her teaching style. “I had to stop teaching the littlest ones, which broke my heart a bit -they were always my favourites. But I’ve learned to teach differently, using words more than demonstrating, and sometimes relying on older students to show steps.”
Stacey is also a proud mum of four incredible children and two beautiful grandchildren, who have walked every step of this journey alongside her.
Each year, her studio’s Mid-Year Showcase has become a celebration of resilience and a powerful fundraising event for CRBF. “Our students perform, local businesses donate prizes for our raffles, and we always have a sausage sizzle. This year, we had about 300 guests. I honestly couldn’t tell you how much we’ve raised over the years, but since my diagnosis, every cent has gone to sarcoma research and support through CRBF.”
Stacey’s story is one of enduring strength, humour, and an unshakeable commitment to giving back, despite the personal cost.
She is a reminder that sarcoma doesn’t just impact the body; it reaches deep into a person’s identity, their passions, and their everyday life. Yet even in the face of such profound change, Stacey continues to dance – perhaps not always physically, but in spirit, she’s never missed a step.
Laughter & tears—much like the weather—defined the 2025 Mother’s Day Breakfast, held in support of sarcoma research and patient care.
Despite the gathering grey clouds, Sydney Harbour sparkled as guests arrived at the stunning Park Hyatt Sydney. As always, the exceptional team at PHS, led by Aoife Burns and Christine Haddad, ensured every detail was immaculate. A special thanks goes to Sophie, whose long-standing involvement has guaranteed the perfect finishing touches each year.
The Guest Room looked resplendent, bathed in filtered sunlight that danced across centrepieces of sweet pink rosebuds and gypsophila, generously donated by the Lynch family. Guests were also treated to gifts from our loyal and generous sponsors—Taylors Wines, Lindt Master Chocolatier and Glasshouse —who have stood by us year after year with unwavering support.
For the past seven years, the wonderful Gloria Gapes and Dyan Comino have been pillars of unwavering support for this event. Once again, they arrived at dawn—alongside the fabulous Naomi Chun who always puts her hand up to help—to dress tables and transform the room into something truly resplendent.
The morning opened with a warm and heartfelt welcome from our former Chairman and High Court Judge, the Hon. Justice Robert Beech-Jones. This was followed by the incomparable renowned media commentator, Melissa Hoyer, whose professionalism and enduring support of CRBF leaves our family deeply touched. This was especially poignant this year, as Melissa had only recently been discharged from an extended hospital stay—an inspiring testament to her unwavering dedication and passion for the cause.
A moving tribute then honoured those we have lost over the past year, accompanied by a soul-stirring rendition of “I Will Always Love You,” performed by Luxe Strings and the extraordinary talents of Zenith Chae, Eliza Bennett, and Nataliya Lukich.
Mitchell Rice-Brading hosted a special conversation with Suzie Carlon and Neil Gibson. The Gibson family, including children Harry and Lily, have walked this road beside our own family for many years. Their beloved Jack—former CRBF Patient Advocate—lost his life to sarcoma in 2022, changing their lives and ours forever.
In just two short years, the Gibson family has raised over half a million dollars in Jack’s memory to support sarcoma patients through the programme that now bears his name. Suzie and Neil spoke passionately about their vision to create a self-funded, sustainable model for the Jack Gibson Sarcoma Patient & Family Support Programme. The family has over many years generously offered their magnificent Manning River property, Mansfield on the Manning, for both patient respite and CRBF fundraising.
Guests then savoured a sumptuous Park Hyatt breakfast, accompanied by the sublime sounds of Luxe Strings weaving through the morning air.
The forum that followed featured the extraordinary Dreverman family. Claudia, Graham, and Judy Dreverman have all been touched by sarcoma. Claudia was a young mother when her husband Andrew, son of Judy and Graham, was diagnosed and tragically passed away. Since Andrew’s passing, the Drevermans have worked tirelessly for over a decade to raise funds and awareness, offering their magnificent country property Somerton Ridge for auctions, raffles, and as a haven for patients and families in need.
Joining them on stage was a young woman who can only be described as a force of nature, Cassandra Prothero, Gala Director of Tour de Cure. A dynamic young mother and powerhouse, Cass leads a team that generates over $4 million annually for cancer research in Australia. She outlined the organisation’s mission, its impact to date, and its growing commitment to sarcoma research.
Cass’s parents, Dominic and Andrew Robinson, have enjoyed a lifelong friendship with the Dreverman family, further strengthening the connection between Tour de Cure and our shared mission.
Completing this inspiring panel was Dr. Maya Kansara, one of the world’s leading sarcoma researchers. She spoke about the transformative impact of Tour de Cure funding and the Tom Hardyman Sarcoma Research Fund on the MoST CaSP/Sarc programme—a national initiative she leads to improve outcomes for sarcoma patients.
The mood then lightened as Mitch Rice-Brading took to the floor, microphone in hand. No one was safe. He playfully called out our former Chair Jeremy Sutcliffe, only to be quickly outwitted when Mitch referenced his cricketing days at Sydney Grammar. Mitch also made his way around the room with humorous nods to our esteemed bone tumour surgeons, Drs. Maurice Guzman and Richard Boyle, together with CRBF fundraiser/Cooper’s friend Matt Jones, to name but a few.
Raffle time followed, with the exquisite @Autore South Sea pearl earrings going to the very deserving Judy Dreverman. Cass Prothero walked away with the magnificent Tahitian pearl earrings donated by the Rutherford family, of Rutherford Fine Jewellery & Pearls in Collins St, Melbourne. A full list of the eight lucky winners is available at raffletix.com.au.
Book buyers were gifted a beautiful mini candle from Candles by Ange—gorgeous, hand-poured creations by the talented Ange Wanford. We are truly grateful for her ongoing love, generosity, and unwavering support.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Jeremy Sutcliffe, delivered with the grace and wit for which he’s known. A typo in the programme saw him referred to as Chairman of James Hardie, rather than his correct role as Chair of CSR, among other esteemed board appointments. Jeremy—our inaugural Chair—laid the foundations on which CRBF’s success is built. We’re grateful for his leadership, his humour, and his good-natured response. And yes, Jeremy—we’ve dismissed the research team responsible for the typo and offer our unreserved apologies.
This event is not possible without our outstanding donors and sponsors (alphabetically)
Autore Pearls
Bistro Rex
Candles by Ange
Glasshouse & The Sapphire Group
Macleay St Bistro
Park Hyatt Sydney
Rutherford Fine Jewellery & Pearls
Steven Khalil
Taylors Wines
The Lynch Family
The Macleay Group
The Magiros Family
The Melki Family
Special thanks to Hanna and Luxe Strings for the exquisite string recital; Jarrad Sapsford who once more went over and beyond to help us behind the scenes despite not performing this year, and to the Jarrad’s mother Simonne and her wonderful friends Anita, Ami, Julie Goyen, Kathy, and Nada who each year loyally support this event.
We are deeply grateful to Stef and Mitchell O’Connor—the talented husband-and-wife duo behind Qantum Haus—who so generously gave their time and expertise to capture the essence of the event through their exquisite photography and videography.
It’s now 361 days to go until we do it all again. We look forward to welcoming you all next year…
