Essendon Football Club, in partnership with The Cancer Council Victoria, will help raise almost $600,000 for the fight against cancer this year.

Good things come in threes, and Saturday’s Clash For Cancer marked a hat-trick for Essendon Football Club in providing fundraising support for The Cancer Council Victoria this season.

The Cancer Council is Essendon’s preferred charity, and during this season alone, the club has partnered with the Cancer Council in three major fundraising events – Clash For Cancer, Call To Arms and a Relay for Life event at Windy Hill.

Across Australia proceeds from the Call to Arms and Clash for Cancer are expected to total more than $350,000.

In addition to this, the club helped the local community to stage a Relay for Life at Windy Hill that raised approximately $240,000.

“Our relationship with Essendon Football Club is very important in supporting our work to control cancer,” Deb Stringer, the Cancer Council’s Director of Community Relations and Fundraising said.

“Every dollar raised through these events is supporting lifesaving cancer research, education programs to help prevent and detect cancers, and support programs for people facing cancer. Because another Victorian is diagnosed with cancer every 22 minutes, there are literally thousands of Victorians who benefit from this work.

“Essendon Football Club has shown itself to be passionate about fighting cancer, and we look forward to continuing this relationship into the future,” she said.

The Call To Arms campaign, which began in Victoria in 2006, was this year promoted nationally for the first time. The event saw sports clubs at all levels, from all codes, wear yellow armbands and raise funds for men facing cancer.

Call To Arms culminated in Clash For Cancer last Saturday – a match-day that was generously supported by both Essendon and Melbourne supporters. Fundraising from that game concludes with an online jumper auction at essendonfc.com.au. The auction closes at noon on Friday, August 8.

“Essendon supporters can be very proud of the role this Club plays in raising money for such an important cause and the result this year has been fantastic,” Essendon general manager – media and community Simon Matthews said.

“Elite level sporting Clubs have a responsibility to the wider community and our partnership with the Cancer Council, and our program of activities, allows us to make a very real contribution to a very important and respected organisation, The Cancer Council Victoria.

“The Club would like to thank all the sporting clubs around Australia that got involved in the Call To Arms campaign, all those who took part in the Relay For Life and the fans that supported the cause at last weekend’s Clash For Cancer.”

“We would also like to thank the Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Wests Tigers, Gold Coast Titans and Adelaide United for the support they provided in promoting the campaign nationally.”