2024 – The Dare to Hope Match & the Paul Dear Postdoctoral Fellowship

In 2024, the Dare to Hope Match reached new heights, both on and off the field. Held on Easter Monday, April 1, at the MCG, the match featured a historic clash between Hawthorn and Geelong, marking the first time these two clubs faced each other in the Dare to Hope fixture.

A significant highlight of the day was the announcement of the Paul Dear Postdoctoral Fellowship, the inaugural research project funded by Dare to Hope. At a press conference held before the game, Cherie Dear revealed that Dr. Michael Lee from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre was the recipient of the fellowship. Dr. Lee’s research focuses on targeting a protein essential for pancreatic cancer survival, with the goal of improving patient outcomes and survival rates. This fellowship represents a vital step in funding medical research for this neglected cancer.

The match also reflected the strong support of the Geelong Football Club, who stood alongside their champion Mick Turner, a pancreatic cancer survivor. Mick, who had undergone a Whipple procedure, described himself as "one of the lucky ones" and joined forces with Cherie and Calsher Dear, who had been drafted to Hawthorn under the Father-Son rule at the end of 2023, to help promote the game. Geelong’s backing, both on and off the field, highlighted the unity and compassion of the football community in raising awareness for pancreatic cancer.

On the field, James Worpel was awarded the Paul Dear Memorial Medal for the most courageous Hawthorn player of the match, embodying the spirit of resilience and determination that Dare to Hope champions.

The 2024 Dare to Hope Match was proudly supported by Mortimer Petroleum, whose ongoing sponsorship has been instrumental in raising awareness for pancreatic cancer and funding life-saving medical research.