2023 Dubbo Electorate Woman of the Year Sally Everett from Narromine has told the Western Plains App the work she has done to get the award has been done to honour her father. 

“My Dad was a real gentleman, very unassuming and we were such a close family,” Ms Everett told the Western Plains App “He was one of the most sunsmart people I ever met. He had a internal melanoma, up until that point I didn’t know melanoma’s could be internal. It was 23 centimetres deep and it was eating into his spine and pelvis.” 

“Seventeen months ago he was diagnosed in October, we lost him in November seven weeks after the diagnosis. It was incredibly cruel”. 

Everett was deeply upset by her father’s loss and for “therapy” she started volunteering with the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation.

“Then I started doing awareness raising with Mission Melanoma. We raised a heap of money and got a lot of people to start getting skin checks done. I never had a skin check done before my Dad died. I really want to put out there all the things we learned when my Dad got diagnosed” she said. 

Everett then started her own cause named after her father called Mission Melanoma - Doing it for Lionel. 

This led to her getting invited to become a director with the board for the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation. 

ABOVE: Sally's father Lionel McGuire. Image: Supplied 

 “We have had people get their skin checked and have had things found and removed before it was too late. They have told us they would never had got checked if it wasn’t for us” she said “I also want people to be more vigilant of sun protection. People know about slip, slop, slap but there actual application of it comes and goes”.. 

Partly for her work with the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation, Everett who was lived in Narromine for 20 years, was awarded the Dubbo Electorate Woman of the Year by Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders. 

“Sally has gone above and beyond for the good of others, and it was also fantastic to see her recognised as Narromine’s Citizen of the Year at the 2023 Australia Day celebrations.” 

"After losing her father to melanoma, Sally’s passion and drive to spread awareness for Mission Melanoma – Doing It for Lionel, has been unwavering, and has seen her appointed to the Board of the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation" he said. 

Saunders said that the award was also given for her work with as a “driving force” for committee achievements with the Narromine Jets Rugby League Club which includes getting three prestigious awards last year: the 2022 Community Club of the Year the NSW Rugby League Community Fund of the Year and NRL Mental Health State of Mind award by NSW Rugby League. 

“We are more than just a rugby league club” she told the Western Plains App “We are out there things in the community. Mental health is something we are really passionate about, and I wanted to reduce the stigma and no that’s ok to get help”. 

The Dubbo Electorate’s Woman of the Year knows what it's like to go through mental anguish since the death of her father. She held back tears as she told the Western Plains App about her father’s legacy. 

“Some days I’m good. Some days I’m not so good” she said “Grief has no timeframe. I am doing my work for cancer in his honour”.