More than 300 hosts in the ACT poured the coffee and laid out the cakes for the Cancer Council's Biggest Morning Tea on Thursday.
Together, they raised more than $150,000 to fund life-saving cancer research, advocacy, prevention and support programs.
Among them were Raffy and Charlie Sgroi from Car Mechanical Services in Fisher, who hosted their morning tea at the Fisher shops with the support of another local business, Pups4Fun.
Mrs Sgroi knows well the importance of support for someone going through cancer. She was diagnosed with the blood cancer multiple myeloma in 2018.
"I underwent a new medical trial whilst going through treatment and I am now in remission," she said.
"If it weren't for medical cancer research and this new trial, I wouldn't be here today and I think everyone deserves that chance."
Campaigns such as the Biggest Morning Tea were crucial to ensuring that research and support continued, she said.
"I believe it's up to us, as a community, to come together and support campaigns like Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, so there is more funding for cancer research and support for people who are going through cancer today and into the future", Mrs Sgroi said.
Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee and deputy Giulia Jones also attended the Fisher morning tea to show their support.
Cancer Council ACT chief operating officer Amanda Fintan said Australia's Biggest Morning Tea had been going for 28 years.
"Unfortunately, around 130,000 Australians, including an estimate of 2000 Canberrans, are diagnosed with cancer each year and this disease affects most of us directly or indirectly in our lifetime", Ms Fintan said.
"This is why it's so important to host or donate to Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, to ensure Cancer Council can continue supporting all Aussie's touched by cancer".
(And, as an aside, community collaboration came to the fore to save the day. Pups4Fun lost its PupsBrew Coffee van three weeks ago due to a small electrical fire. The Canberra, family-owned business Ironside Coffee Co. saved the day by lending Pups4Fun one of its mobile coffee vans until its new van arrives. So PupsBrew is back operating at the Fisher shops from 6.30am to 9.30am Monday to Friday from this Friday.)
