Carrie Bickmore Launches Cancer Charity

Australian television and radio celebrity, Carrie Bickmore, has launched a charity with the initial aim of raising $1 million to find a cure for brain cancer.

Bickmore announced the launch of Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer last night on her prime-time news and current affair show, The Project.

Less than one day after going live, the charity has already raised $72,000 towards its $1 million goal.

Bickmore famously used her Gold Logie acceptance speech to campaign for more government funding to be directed towards brain cancer research.

Her husband, Greg Lange, died in 2010 from a brain tumor. Their son Ollie was just three-years-old at the time.

Bickmore said she was spurred to set up the charity by a wish that no other family has to watch their loved one die from brain cancer the way her family did.

Announcing my new foundation CarriesBeanies4BrainCancer. My aim is to raise 1 million dollars for BC research. #CarriesBeanies4BrainCancer

— Carrie Bickmore (@BickmoreCarrie) November 9, 2015

"Brain cancer survival rates have barely changed in 30 years," Bickmore said on The Project.

"One Australian is diagnosed every five hours. One Australian dies every seven hours… and it kills more kids than any other disease.

"It receives less than five per cent of all government cancer research funding. That's not good enough."

Carrie’s Beanie’s 4 Brain Cancer will officially launch in December with a public concert.

Pop stars Ed Sheeran and Vance Joy will headline the event, with the money raised from the 1200 potential ticket sales going to Carrie’s foundation.

.@BickmoreCarrie announces #BrainBeats2015 for @carriesB4BC! Find out more at https://t.co/QNTq8qlMY8 #TheProjectTV https://t.co/BvKr60zBar

— #TheProjectTV (@theprojecttv) November 9, 2015