Charity auction raises $28,750 for brain cancer research

A charity auction at ALPA's gala dinner in Melbourne last weekend and a charity steer sold at the Victorian Livestock Exchange at Pakenham on Monday raised a total of $28,750.

The money will go to Aaron's Wish which raises awareness about brain cancer and its devastating consequences, and much-needed funding for research to one day develop a cure.

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The foundation was established by the Iori family in 2013 in memory of Aaron Iori who lost his battle with brain cancer earlier that year.

Aaron worked in the livestock industry, starting as a Meat & Livestock Australia market analyst before managing the National Livestock Reporting Service for five years.

He then went on to head up the National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS) in 2006.

ALPA said it chose the foundation as its national charity in 2021, and had already raised funds for the organisation during similar events in Queensland and NSW.

"It was Aaron's wish that awareness be raised of the devastation of brain cancer," Aaron's mother, Kim Iori, said.

"We were overwhelmed and honoured that ALPA chose our charity.

"The money will go through us and to our charity partner, Cure Brain Cancer Foundation, which will use the money in funding better treatments and hopefully a cure one day for brain cancer."

According to statistics, brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in children under 10 and young people under 39.

On average, each year 1600 patients are diagnosed and 1200 die.

ALPA said many agents across the country knew and respected Aaron and were very saddened to hear of his death to brain cancer.

The charity auction at the dinner was conducted by the 2020 ALPA Victorian Young Auctioneers Competition winner, Jack Ginnane, Nutrien SGL, and runner-up Will Schilling, AWN Wimmera.

A further $6100 was raised at the competition at the VLE when Nutrien Ag Solutions donated a steer that was auctioned after the competition and purchased by Coles.