A round of golf for 186 people in Alexandra has raised $56,000 for Melanoma New Zealand.

The fundraiser, called the Cockies and Tradies Golf Day, took place on Friday, something husband and wife Chris Flannery and Nicola (Nic) Jones have been working on for months.

It was the second fundraising golf tournament for Melanoma NZ; the last one in 2021 netted over $80,000.

The pair said they were stoked with the amount raised as it would allow Melanoma NZ to provide further patient support and keep raising awareness of the disease.

Their involvement stems from Chris being diagnosed just before Christmas in 2019 with stage four metastatic melanoma.

Nic said they were told he had three months to live. 

He’s had treatment, including immunotherapy drug Keytruda, radiotherapy and surgery to remove a tumour in his lymph nodes. He is currently taking another unfunded drug and doing well, Nic said.

She’s also had melanoma removed herself so the family are advocating people to get regular check ups.

“We want to promote melanoma awareness. Last time seven people got diagnosed after the tournament following the free check ups we offered.”

Over the lunch period again this year, free skin checks were carried out by Dr Joost Breuk from Alexandra Family Medical. 

Golfers warming up on the putting green. PHOTO: Supplied

Attendees played Ambrose in teams of three, and each team teed off to a song of their choice adding a fun atmosphere to the start of play. 

The winners were Tussock’s boys; Graham Johnson (Tussock), Murray Rose and Colin Gray. Their team landed an impressive eleven birdies in a row.

Chris (left) with the winning team ‘Tussock’s boys’. PHOTO: Supplied

More than 1300 lamb cutlets were consumed on the day. PHOTO: Supplied 

Nic said she was grateful to friends and family for helping out with logistics, along with the Dunstan High School softball community for catering the dinner

“Everyone is out there for 12 hours . . . and they all need to be fed, so there has been a bit to do. ”

Chris said it was alarming that New Zealand has the highest death rates in the world from melanoma.

“[NZ has] more than 6000 diagnoses annually and around 300 lives lost to melanoma each year. Although 70% of cases occur in individuals aged 50 and above, it is crucial to note that melanoma is the most common cancer among males aged 25 to 44.”

After the social round of golf and dinner, a fundraising auction and speeches were held, then prizegiving and the day finished at 8pm. 

For more information see Melanoma NZ.