There is an old saying that goes something like: "It's hard to understand until it happens to you".

A Cairns developer is living proof of that adage. And he's turning first-hand experience with cancer into tangible support for others. 

In a unique twist on the traditional property auction, James and Rachel Fennell from Urban Properties will donate the profit from a no-reserve land auction towards men’s cancer treatment facilities at Cairns Hospital.

With the tagline of “big blocks, big life, big cause”, the auction will take place onsite at the Millhouse Estate development on May 14.

The team at Urban Properties, in partnership with the FNQ Hospital Foundation, hopes to raise $20,000 from the auction with the donation set to help fund a new prostate cancer scanner, used for diagnosis and monitoring of the disease.

Mr Fennell said Urban Properties had been involved with the Foundation on other fundraising events, but this auction was specifically focused on men’s cancer.

 “Our industry is represented very heavily by a male workforce and we look after these guys with safety procedures on site, but we also wanted to make a difference to their health and quality of life as well,” Mr Fennell said.

“Our family has had a direct involvement with cancer that resulted in aggressive treatment but a positive outcome, so we are passionate about health care in regional Queensland.”

Property Shop sales and marketing director Ben Johnston will also donate his $5000 commission from the transaction.
“We see this as our turn to give back. Because this is a no-reserve auction, this is someone’s chance to grab a bargain while making a difference to health outcomes in the local community,” Mr Johnston said.

The auction for the 800sq/m block will take place at Lot 55, Millhouse Estate on Saturday, May 14.

Pre-registrations to bid are encouraged at the Millhouse Estate website.