"Every three hours a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. But I believe we will have a cure for this disease by 2018."
This was the message from Breast Cancer Research Trust executive trustee Tony Moffatt to the invited guests at a social event with a serious message last week .
The Clubhouse at Millbrook Resort near Arrowtown set the scene for the fundraising evening, where the guests could buy "lucky dip" bags or bid at a live auction.
The event raised $30,000 for the Breast Cancer Research Trust.
In his speech, Mr Moffatt said there was hardly any research to fund in New Zealand when the trust was set up 12 years ago.
Much has changed since then.
"We are now getting inundated with research funding applications, and the scientists are truly breaking new ground, which means breast cancer can be diagnosed much earlier so survival is much more likely."
"One of the very interesting and promising new areas of research we are funding is examining the positive effects of capsicums.
Based on the scientists' statements, I am positive we will be making breast cancer a survivable disease through early detection, predictive diagnosis, appropriate treatment and prevention," he said.
He was joined by internationally renowned fashion designer Karen Walker, who has been an ambassador for the Breast Cancer Research Trust for eight years.
She is behind a T-shirt campaign at retail store Glassons which has helped raise more than $3 million for breast cancer research.
"I wanted to create something more people could be part of.
So with a couple of friends I came up with the idea of the Lucky Dip Club.
We have held successful events with this club in Auckland last year and again a few weeks ago, and I am delighted to see this new tradition taken to Queenstown," Ms Walker said.
The Queenstown event was organised on a volunteer basis by Annie Clarke.
With the help of four other people, she gathered donations of products from local companies to fill more than 100 lucky dip bags, which were sold for between $50 and $250.
Each bag contained a surprise item worth double the price of the bag.
All proceeds went to the trust.
"People can get a good feeling from donating to a worthy cause, but also walk away with something of higher value than the money they spent. It is a fine way to get people involved," Ms Clarke said.
Some high-value items, including luxury accommodation, flights and artwork, were sold at a live auction hosted by Chris Campbell, from Locations Real Estate, in Queenstown.
One of the highlights was an original painting by Peter Beadle, which sold for $4100.
An unannounced surprise auction item, a jacket donated by fashion designer and Breast Cancer Research Trust patron Trelise Cooper, raised $600.
The wine for the evening was donated by Mount Edward winery, and the food by Ms Clarke and her husband Wayne Boyd (chairman of Telecom NZ and Meridian Energy).
