Every Saturday morning throughout the year, an eclectic group of cold-water swimmers gather in a gratitude circle on the sand at Mordialloc beach. The ‘Mordi Sea Dippers’, as they’ve come to be known, have embraced the health benefits of year-round swimming and become a supportive community in the process. For Liz, they also became a lifeline when she lost her dad, Chris, to pancreatic cancer.
“My dad was the heart of our bayside community, always giving back and surrounded by amazing people. Cold dipping gave me more than just physical benefits, it brought me the warmth of a supportive community that helped me navigate my grief with their incredible outpouring of love and support,” she shared.
Our very own Chief Financial Officer, Sarah, is a passionate member of the Mordiy Sea Dippers. So, when she suggested the Dippers take part in the Daffodil Day Dip, a new Daffodil Day fundraising challenge, they embraced the idea and rallied the wider community to be a part of it!
“The Daffodil Day Dip worked on so many levels for the Mordialloc Dipper community – bringing together people from all walks of life and creating new connections, raising awareness of the impact of cancer in our local community and introducing new dippers to our group. Many people voiced their astonishment that 400 people in Mordialloc received a cancer diagnosis in 2022, this really highlighted the need for action – be it prevention, research or support, said Sarah.
Before taking the dip, over 100 people, including state and federal MPs, sat together in solidarity to hear about and reflect on the impact of cancer on the community.
Participating in the Daffodil Day Dip with the Mordi Sea Dippers was especially meaningful for Jo and her friends, who lost their friend Jordy to ovarian cancer in 2023.
“For the four of us to be able to be here today in Jordy’s honour, in such a big group was so special. And then for the rainbow to come out, it was the icing on the cake.”
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