2023 – The Dare to Hope Match & the Bay of Hope

In 2023, Dare to Hope introduced the Bay of Hope — a powerful and moving visual representation of the nearly 4,000 Australians who die each year from pancreatic cancer.

Supporters were invited to honour their loved ones by making a donation and personalising a silhouette with their name. On match day, a dedicated tribe of volunteers worked tirelessly to install the silhouettes before the first bounce, filling six bays of the MCG in a moving tribute.

The Bay of Hope carried a clear message: “Pancreatic cancer is not as rare as you think.” Paul Dear, Cherie’s father Don, and the more than 3,600 other Australians lost in 2022 weren’t simply unlucky — they were taken by a cancer that is tragically common, but far less recognised than many others.

The match was played on 2 July 2023 between Carlton and Hawthorn, with the Paul Dear Memorial Medal for the most courageous Hawthorn player awarded to Will Day.

The Bay of Hope was proudly sponsored by Mortimer Petroleum, whose commitment to Dare to Hope began in 2023 and has continued every year since.

Once again, the Hawthorn Football Club stood with the Dear family and the Dare to Hope community, ensuring Paul’s legacy lives on through awareness, courage, and collective hope.