Clovelly Seat Honours Skin Cancer Contribution

By Dan Hutton on August 16, 2012 in News

I’m sure many of you have seen the ads on television about a young bloke named Wes Bonny who died from melanoma at the age of 26. In the ads, Wes’s parents, brothers and mates talk about Wes, what he means to them, and what they all knew about melanoma before seeing its devastating effects first hand.

For me, this ad hits very close to home. Wes was one of my best mates, and every time I see the ad it reminds of a great young bloke who lost his life way too early. More importantly though, the ad made a significant impact on many young people who saw it, a lot of whom were not unaware that melanoma can strike at such a young age. This is something that all of us who knew Wes are extremely proud of.

It was through an article in The Beast by my friend Isaac Levido that this amazing campaign first came to fruition, and given that it was only around eight months after Wes’s passing that we were contacted by the Cancer Institute of NSW about the possibility of such a campaign, it was incredibly courageous of Wes’s parents, Jackie and Peter, and brothers, Vaughan and Stuart, to agree to go ahead with the campaign. Understandably, the emotions were, and still are, very raw.

In light of this touching campaign, and in honour of the contribution that Wes and his story have made to the fight against skin cancer, the Cancer Institute of NSW has installed a seat at Clovelly Beach, one of Wes’s favourite spots, adorned with a plaque bearing his name. The seat sits appropriately under a shady tree between the café and the surf club and reads:

In Memory of Wesley James Bonny
1983-2010
Whose life was taken by melanoma at the age of 26.
For the gift of his story in the effort to prevent skin cancer.
Given by the Cancer Institute of NSW on behalf of the people of this State.

So if you’re heading down to Clovelly, be sure to enjoy the incredible view from Wes’s seat. And if you must, use it as a reminder to slip, slop and slap, and to book an appointment with your doctor to get your skin checked. It’s the best forty bucks you’ll spend all year.