Stop Drinking!

No, it’s not an April Fool’s joke: stop drinking - for a whole month. See what a difference it makes to your health and fitness, your wallet – your sex life! That’s the challenge being set down by the boys behind Dry July.

Phil, Brett and Kenny raised more than a quarter of a million dollars when they convinced the Australian public to take up the challenge last year. The money raised went towards adult cancer patients at Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation, Dreams2Live4 Charity and was used to purchase four new treatment beds for the oncology ward, two new LCD televisions as well as a brand new state-of-the-art kitchen, waiting room and fully landscaped garden.

This year, Dry July is going national. Today five hospitals around the country are being announced as additional beneficiaries of the sponsorship raised as part of Dry July 2009. The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Perth’s Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Adelaide’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Brisbane’s Mater Adult Hospital and the Canberra Hospital. Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation and Dreams2Live4 will continue to be the NSW beneficiaries. These public hospitals and foundations will be the happy recipients of any monies raised in their state during the annual abstinence month. Although it may be April Fool’s Day, for them the much-needed funds are anything but a laughing matter.

"In South Australia - with our rainfall - we will be hoping for anything but a Dry July on the outside, but staying dry on the inside is a great way to help the cancer patients at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital," Executive Director Maurice Henderson says.

"Whilst we like a good drop, I believe that South Australians will really get behind Dry July to help our cancer sufferers."

Dry July co-founder Phil Grove says "there’s a real need for funds to be made available to cancer wards, units and patients across Australia. We are aiming to encourage as many participants as possible to get on the wagon and raise sponsorship to benefit the vital cancer departments of these fantastic hospitals."

Last year’s sole recipient say the overhaul of their department has made a massive difference to the day-to-day lives of their patients.

"The sponsorship of the Dry July campaign has allowed the Prince of Wales Radiation Oncology Department to change its persona from being an old clinical area to one where patients feel much more comfortable and relaxed while waiting for their treatment," Nurse Unit Manager Carolyn Hook says.

"Working with Dry July has been a pleasure and rewarding experience."

Joining the Dry July movement is simple - just head to www.dryjuly.com from the 1st June 2009 to register and start collecting some sponsors.