What do you get when a group of snow lovers rally for cancer research? The annual Mums The Word fundraiser.
Mums The Word takes place in Mount Hotham every August, when the snow season is in full swing. The event, attended by hundreds of people who come for a good time for a good cause, has raised over $50,000 for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) over the past four years and close to $200,000 over the past 15 years.
Mums The Word commenced 15 years ago by a group of snowboarders and is still supported by Tom and Meg Burdekin and Emma and Adrian Di Natale, who have consistently raised spectacular amounts of funds for ONJCRI’s research each year.
The Mums The Word fundraiser was given its name because it was originally a fundraiser for women impacted by breast cancer and their families. Adrian Di Natale, Mums The Word co-founder, takes us back fifteen years to the origins of the event:
“One of our snowboard coaches’ mums passed away from cancer. He’s a loved guy up here, and a group of friends organised a fundraiser, as a celebration of her life, and all people impacted by breast cancer. And it was a huge success.
“We held raffles, auctions and did head shaves and raised tens of thousands of dollars, and we kept it going.”
Some years after the first fundraiser, breast cancer struck again, and this time it was Emma Di Natale, who is still a key participant of Mums The Word.
“Fundraising for Mums The Word means we hear about a lot of people who have had their own battles and losses,” said Adrian, reflecting on how people who spend time at Mount Hotham have come forward with their own cancer stories since they have been running the fundraiser.
With a background in science, Adrian is passionate about the impact of research and the team decided to support the work done by ONJCRI: “I have a biased view that it all starts with research”.
“It’s research that leads to treatments and prevention.”
The team chose to support ONJCRI because they wanted the funds raised to go directly to research:
“That $10,000 or $20,000 that we raise annually could be used as a component to a larger research program or individuals doing deep research.
“As long as it’s good research that’s adding to our body of knowledge, that’s all that matters.”
The funds are raised at an all-day event, with raffles, activities, live music, and food and drink.
“One year, we auctioned a slice of pizza and got $1,000 for it.”
“We have sponsors that donate equipment, and it’s typically snow-related. It includes most of the local Hotham businesses and support services.
“But it’s really people parting with their hard-earned dollars.”
This powerful community of Hothamites who get together annually to raise these funds enables our team to pursue research into more effective, tolerable and accessible cancer therapies that make a real difference to people’s lives.
A huge thank you from everyone at ONJCRI to the incredible group of people behind this successful fundraiser. We are already looking to another fun- and purpose-filled day in 2026!
Learn more about ways to support ONJCRI.