A dance a day to keep cancer away

JEWISH Sydneysider Leanne Shelton will step out of her comfort zone next month to participate in a unique dance fundraiser for the Cancer Council NSW.

Called “Stars of Western Sydney”, the fundraiser consists of 11 community leaders across Blacktown, Parramatta, and the Sydney Hills districts, who are paired with a dance teacher to learn a dance routine in just 8-12 weeks.

They will then perform at a gala night to a panel of judges and audience on March 26 at Wenty Leagues for an evening of entertainment, laughter, and fundraising.

The cause is close to Shelton’s heart, who has had grandparents succumb to the disease. She’s also supporting her father, Garry Belinfante, who is currently going through chemotherapy.

“Dad has been battling cancer on and off for five years. While he has remained as high-spirited as possible for the family, he’s experienced many ups and downs – including unexpected allergic reactions to treatments that sometimes put his life on the line,” she said.

“I’m hoping the money I raise for the Cancer Council goes towards research to uncover why these things occurred and stop them from taking place in the future. I’d also love for us to keep moving towards a cure.”

She added that participating in a dancing fundraiser to support her father’s cancer journey “also makes sense – as we have a shared love for dancing”.

“For anyone who’s ever seen him on the dance floor, they’d be familiar with his very fun and funky style,” she said.

While she started physical culture dancing when she was two years old, Leanne is not too familiar with what she calls “partner dancing”.

“I’m only a few dance lessons in so far and it’s been a very different experience,” she said.

“Usually, I’m on my own when it comes to remembering the steps. But with my dance partner, Matthew Murphy, he simply flings me into the right positions to force my brain into gear!”

Cancer Council NSW community relations coordinator Danielle Sammut said demand for support services has increased by 20 per cent during COVID.

“We can’t wait to have some fun with our communities when it’s safe to do so and continue to support our cancer patients into the future,” she said.

Support Leanne: stars.cancercouncil.com.au/fundraisers/leanneshelton/stars-of-western-sydney