Titans go dry for July

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Titans go dry for July

Twelve Jetstar Gold Coast Titans have put their beers down and thrown their hands up in support of the 'Dry July' campaign which will raise money for adults living with cancer and supporting cancer services at The Mater Hospital in Brisbane.

The Dry July national campaign simply asks Australians to give up alcohol for a month and was founded in 2007 by three young guys who decided to 'get off the drink for a month and raise some money for charity.'

The Titans' Dry July team is made up of Luke Bailey, Will Zillman, Anthony Laffranchi, Luke O'Dwyer, Ben Ridge, Michael Henderson, Bodene Thompson, Brenton Lawrence, Matt Srama, Matt White, Nathan Friend and Jordan Rankin.

The Titans are the only national sporting group to be officially part of the Dry July Campaign.

The funds raised through sponsorship from the simple efforts of these Titans players and many others will directly benefit the lives of adults living with cancer right across Australia.

"Mater is glad to be the beneficiary again of Dry July so we can help more cancer patients throughout Queensland with 5900 inpatients and 12,000 outpatient visits at Mater Adult Hospital each year and 1200 inpatients at Mater Private Hospital Haematology Oncology Unit per year," Mater Foundation Executive Director Nigel Harris said.

"It's great to see the community getting behind Dry July to help patients with cancer and we encourage everyone to support the participants," Mr Harris said.

Funds raised will purchase music and art therapy classes and medical equipment for the Mater Hospital in Brisbane. Funding will also refurbish the patient recreation room including lounge chairs, entertainment, cabinets and shade sails for outdoor balconies.

Leading by example, Titans hard man Luke Bailey showcased a softer side, saying the first 20 days of Dry July hadn't been too difficult.

"It's not tough (not drinking), I have a family so I spend a lot of time at home. After the game you definitely feel like a beer but it's been good," said Bailey.

When asked if whether some disappointing performances for the Titans had left the veteran prop with an unquenched thirst, Bailey said "It definitely has, some of your best times in footy are when you are able to have a few beers together but in saying that it is a small sacrifice of one month."

"So far it has already raised over $1.6 million and our part goes towards the Mater Hospital in Brisbane for cancer equipment, so you can't go wrong there when it is only 31 days."

2008 was Dry July's inaugural year with over 1000 participants and raised $257 283, three years on and now reaching the half way mark, The Dry July campaign has already raised over $1.6 million nationally with over 11,300 charitable campaigners taking part.

Titans utility Will Zillman said: "It's something the Titans are getting behind by not drinking in July and raising money for cancer patients who are doing it tough."

"There are a lot of blokes here who have been touched by cancer in their family, myself included, so it is a pretty easy decision.

"There are people out there that are doing it a lot tougher then us, so it is a pretty easy thing to give up for a month."

To help the Jetstar Gold Coast Titans support this great cause on a local and national level you can head to the Dry July website https://www.dryjuly.com/teams/jetstargoldcoasttitans

Source: http://www.titans.com.au

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You can even donate to your favourite player!

http://www.dryjuly.com/teams/jetstar.../participants#