Cronulla winnings donated to Prostate Cancer Institute

Professional cyclists involved in the Cronulla Grand Prix December 16 have donated their prize money to the Prostate Cancer Institute. The top four riders – Matt White (Discovery Channel), Graeme Brown (Rabobank), Julian Dean (Crédit Agricole) and Allan Davis (Discovery Channel) – donated their combined prize money of $3600AUD to the Institute, which is being established at St George Cancer Care Centre in New South Wales, Australia.

"The event was a great promotion for the sport of cycling and it is the least professional stars can do when racing in Australia; to make the contribution of prize money to such a worthy charity," said White, who retired after the event and will be directing the USA-based Team Slipstream outfit this season.

It is the very first Prostate Cancer Institute in Australia and will have all of the treatment options available under the one roof. The Cancer Centre, headed by Professor John Kearsley, is expanding in size and will have also a Research centre attached to the facility.

It has been a two million dollar project undertaken by a community group and the funds have been well received by the committee. Professor Kearsley, who was present at the Cronulla Grand Prix said "It was a great day for everyone – great action, good sponsorship support from NSW Health and others, and now the donation from the race winners.

"The community has now committed more than one million dollars and this is the first occasion that a sporting event and competitors have contributed to the construction of the Prostate Cancer Institute, that will commence building works in February this year," added Kearsley.

The Prostate Cancer Institute also benefited from the race entries of the 1500-metre athletic event staged on the day.

"All the invited professionals prior to the start of the race agreed to donate the money to the Prostate Cancer Institute and I am very proud that in my last race we could give back to the community," concluded White.