Byford dad, Keith Munday, is turning his tragedy into an opportunity to raise vital funds and awareness to help highlight how serious asthma can be.
In a unique bid to draw attention to the dangers of asthma, Mr Munday and a friend had their bodies waxed on Saturday 27 February at the Byford Tavern in his effort to remind people about just how deadly the disease can be.
This was a fun event but with a very serious message that couldn’t be more important to Keith, who lost his 20-year-old daughter, Fallon, when she died from asthma attack just five months ago.
Eagle Boys donated 50 free pizzas for the event, which was sold at $2 a slice, with all proceeds going towards the Asthma Foundation. The staff at Eagle Boys Byford were eager to help out in any way they could, for a cause that was very personal to them. Chloe, Fallon’s sister, works for Eagle Boys and Fallon was a friend to many of the staff.
Mr Munday’s goal is to raise a total of $5,000 this Saturday along with further monthly events, to help keep the issue of asthma front of people’s minds.
“A man having his body waxed is something different. It is designed to get everyone in the community involved and that’s just what is happening,” Mr Munday said.
“We have members of the public, the Byford Tavern and the staff and owners of Eagle Boys as well as the Asthma Foundation all coming out to support us.”
Mr Munday said Fallon’s condition was never severe and she only had a few trips to the hospital since being diagnosed with asthma in her early teens. Because of this, he felt there needed to be more awareness as not enough people knew it could be fatal.
“This has been devastating for our family. Fallon meant so much to us and we have lost her in a way we could never have expected,” Mr Munday said.
“Our primary purpose now is to raise awareness, so that’s what this event is all about. I want everyone to walk away knowing more about this issue of asthma than when they arrived.”
Eagle Boys Byford franchisee, Sean Andrew Corkery, said he was happy to have the chance to support the Munday family in their fundraising efforts.
“When we heard that Keith was dedicating his time and efforts for this excellent cause, I knew I wanted to help out in some way,” Mr Corkery said.
“I knew Fallon and she was a lovely young girl. She had her head in the right direction and she was a valuable part of the community in Byford. It was really sad for a young girl with a bright future to be taken away.
“I think it’s a fantastic event and people do need to be made aware because it is an issue that’s often overlooked.”
The fundraising event took place at the Byford Tavern at 5pm on Saturday 27 February with live music and raffles.
This event was sponsored by the Eagle Boys Happiness Fund which is a long term initiative that seeks to support local communities.
Recipients of the complimentary pizzas can include families, individuals, sporting teams, local charities and schools who are coordinating a fundraiser and require catering. For more information or to submit an application for a Happiness Fund donation, head to https://www.eagleboys.com.au/happinessfund
