IT is a palate-pleasing fundraiser that will sate the stomach and the soul.
Breast Cancer Trials has launched the "3 Course Challenge", which encourages people to host a French dining experience in their own homes - with a little help from chef and television personality, Manu Feildel.
The challenge, running throughout August, aims to raise money to support breast cancer trials and research.
Feildel will curate the three-course French menu, and all registered dinner party hosts can join him for a livestreamed cooking class to set them up for success.
Dr Nick Zdenkowski, a Breast Cancer Trials researcher and medical oncologist at Lake Macquarie Private, said their trials relied heavily on donations.
But since coronavirus, they had suffered a drop in funding.
"So it's really important to find novel ways of engaging with donors that they are going to find value in," Dr Zdenkowski said.
"Primarily what we are doing with this event is funding important research with the goal of improving the lives of people with breast cancer, reducing the rate of death from breast cancer, relapses, and even the number of women diagnosed in the first place."
Dr Zdenkowski said they had three "important" trials under way in Newcastle that were associated with the 3 Course Challenge campaign.
"They are in areas we think we can make some real gains," he said.
"One is a prevention trial called BRCA-P. It is open in Newcastle, and it is a trial for women who have had a BRCA-1 gene mutation identified, but who have not had breast cancer.
"Traditionally those women would have their breasts removed, or offered that, because they are at high risk of being diagnosed in the future. Currently, that's the only effective strategy.
"But this trial looks at whether a drug can help prevent breast cancer in those women. They retain their breasts - with close monitoring. That is a large international trial with the potential to change international practice worldwide."
Chemotherapy is a smack in the face. It really takes over the body.
TV chef Manu Feildel on his mother's recent battle with breast cancer
Another trial, targeted at women with early stage breast cancer, was investigating whether it was possible to reduce the amount of chemotherapy and associated side effects while remaining effective.
A third trial available at the Calvary Mater Newcastle was looking into a targeted, personalised treatment for metastatic breast cancer determined via a "liquid biopsy" - or blood test.
"There are some really interesting trials which have potential to improve outcomes for women involved, and for future generations," Dr Zdenkowski said.
Feildel was inspired to get involved in the fundraiser following his mother's diagnosis with breast cancer about eight months ago.
"Chemotherapy is a smack in the face. It really takes over the body," he said.
It was his mother who had sparked his love for cooking while raising him in Nantes, France.
Dinner party hosts who register to participate in the 3 Course Challenge would be given all the elements needed to make their event a "fun French feast".
That includes access to a French music playlist on Spotify, templates for invitations and French games to play.
Find out how you can get involved via 3coursechallenge.com.au.
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