26 April, 2017
Bald: The new black at ECOTECH
This year’s “World’s Greatest Shave” took on special significance at ECOTECH, with the recent news of ECOTECH founder, Robert Dal Sasso being diagnosed with lymphoma.
And while Robert’s prognosis is good, it’s a timely reminder that blood cancer (which includes lymphoma, leukaemia and myeloma) is the third most common cause of cancer death in Australia. In fact, more common than breast cancer and melanoma.
ECOTECH Managing Director, Nicholas Dal Sasso said that as he was inviting people to make donations to the worthy cause many people shared with him their own stories of lost friends and loved ones to blood cancer.
“Sadly, so many of the ECOTECH family has been touched by cancer,” Nicholas said.
“Did you know, every day, 35 Australians are diagnosed with blood cancer. The Leukaemia Foundation raises money for supporting families and investing in research to find treatments and cures for blood cancers and related disorders.”
Improved survival rates
World’s Greatest Shave began in 1998 and has raised $200 million for research and support since then, not to mention raising awareness.
“The survival rates for these cancers have improved dramatically,” Nicholas said. “Robert’s prognosis is very good.
His cancer was picked up because he was suffering from a sore back and went for a CT scan and the radiologist saw something straight away.”
Nicholas said much of the improved cancer survival rate can be attributed to early detection due to increased awareness of the symptoms of blood cancer in the medical sector.
ECOTECH staff were treated to a special morning tea as Nicholas and four other Melbourne-based team members – Tim Sallai, Robert Maxwell, Nilupa Dediwalage and Jun Cao – were subjected to a close head shave with electric clippers. Con Argiratos in Sydney opting to get his hair coloured instead.
“Needless to say, the 2017 event was especially poignant for my family with Robert’s recent cancer diagnose,” Nicholas said, adding that ECOTECH’s team effort had attracted sponsorships from all over the world.
Striving for the greater good
As a global organisation, ECOTECH has a long history of striving for the greater good in the communities we live and work in.
“We are active in our social responsibility, donating time, resources or money to initiatives that improve global outcomes.
Our company volunteer policy provides ECOTECH employees with paid leave that supports and encourages them to give back to their communities,” Nicholas said.
“We actively work to improve the quality of life for people in the developing countries in which we operate. Just recently, the Dal Sasso family spent five weeks volunteering at an orphanage in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.”
ECOTECH agreed to match the money raised in the World’s Greatest Shave, and with more than $3000 raised at last count ($6000 in total including ECOTECH dollar for dollar matching pledge), we hope our efforts build on the thousands of other similar fund raising stories around Australia all wanting to fund research and provide support to individuals and families facing a blood cancer diagnosis.
“If you’d like to contribute, there’s still time to make your donation to the ECOTECH team,” said Nicholas. “Thank you and shave you next year!”
You can donate to the ECOTECH Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave team here.
