Lyndell Bonnici's Bridal Shave for a Raise

Firstly…… A BIG hello & thank you to everyone that is visiting my Shave for a Raise Event site, my name is Lyndell & I am one of the Mackay Bride of the Year entrants for 2013.  I would just like to take this opportunity to share a little about myself & why I’ve decided to do a shave for a raise instead of a more subtle approach to my fundraising J

 I am 40yrs old, I have three gorgeous sons, Thomas, James & Caleb, along with two wonderful step-children Sarah & Lil Thomas. My children are my life’s work of art, always in progress, moving forward & my greatest inspirations in this lifetime of mine!

I was married on the 25^th May 2013 to the most amazing man I have ever met….. Michael. 

I am very passionate about the work that BCNA does in our community’s right throughout our country…..Why?

Because……(and this is my story)

Words simply cannot express my love & feelings of gratitude for a man such as this, as he became my rock & my anchor on our wedding day.  Why?  Because our little world was rocked in the last couple of weeks leading up to our wedding, I found two lumps on both my breasts, now knowing our family history & the fact that I have had cancer removed before I quietly took myself off  to be checked.  They appeared to both be abnormal & was told that the surgeon would be in touch. I was told the day before the wedding that the surgeon would see me three days after our wedding & to be prepared that I would in all likeliness not be getting good news.  Now in my family I have watched my strongest women role models in my life all die from this horrific disease & only just had my eldest sister get the all clear from a grueling year of chemotherapy & a double mastectomy, how could I possibly put this man through marrying me only to be faced with this?  Thank God for my two sisters who stood by me that week & the unforgettable Miss Tanya from Villa Botanica who ensured I got down that isle without running away & Miss Norina from Iconic Bride Photography who has inspired me no end with her  encouragement & with her own story to tell about this horrible disease from a loved one’s point of view.  BUT the one thing that made me get through all of the fear & uncertainty was the man who simply would not walk away!!  No one else knew our personal fears on our wedding day & we were surrounded with such love, intimacy & so much HOPE…..and in the end that was all that mattered.  The photo you see of Michael & I on our cover wall on my facebook events page, for a moment look past the beauty of the photograph, you see at that moment in time I was saying “Thank you for loving me even if forever is not going to be too far away” and my husband’s response was simply, “I will love you to the stars & back”  You see I do believe in miracles, & in my heart of hearts every time I look at that particular photo & I remember the acceptance of whatever happens, happens & I’ll be okay cause I have this incredible man beside me along with a loving family, and whether you believe in God or not I believe it was then that I was given a second chance & five days later I was given the all clear.

Breast cancer ANY cancer out there in the world incites FEAR into those that say it, hear it, feel it & must bare it!!  By sharing a little of my story I hope you can all see the WHY’s of my passion to raise funds for BCNA.  They are like family & for those out there in our communities, and those in amongst our very own families dealing with breast cancer, BCNA are there in a practical way to INFORM, EMPOWER, REPRESENT & LINK TOGETHER people whose lives have been affected by breast cancer, whether it be counseling or other resources THAT’S what they are there for.

There is only one way to take the fear out of the C word & that’s to stick together & be just as aggressive in our desire to take the fear factor out & put the conquer factor in…… a Catalyst for Change, Compassion, and at the end of the day the Hope of it being Conquered.

We ALL have a story to tell, mine is merely one amongst millions.  If you have a story you would like to share please post it on my events page on facebook I sincerely would love to hear all of them.

My point for doing a shave for the Mackay Bride of the Year is to highlight the fact that breast cancer, any cancer does not simply wait for a time that suits you to sneak up & aggress on your life.  It simply does not care if you are a woman or man, black or white, young or old, rich or poor.  So yes I will be a bride on the big night bold & beautifully bald, supported by the most handsomest husband ever & two gorgeous teenage boys all looking gloriously shiny on the noggen as well!!

Lyndell Bonnici, Mackay Bride of the Year entrant for 2013 would like to invite you &/0r your business to support her Bridal Shave for a Raise Event being held on the 16^th November 2013 proudly sponsored by & held at Hairway, Mackay 2/1 Mangrove Road Mackay.

Lyndell’s Goal - Raise $5000 = she shaves her head!      

Raise $10 000 = Lyndell, her husband Michael & two teenage sons will shave their heads as a family!!

Lyndell’s Aim – 100 Business’s donate as little as $50 each 1^st Goal achieved!

Why?  Because it’s too important NOT too!  The role of BCNA is to INFORM, EMPOWER, REPRESENT & LINK TOGETHER people whose lives have been affected by breast cancer.