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Carrie Bickmore under fire for ‘insensitive’ charity appeal

Jun 13, 2017

Network Ten’s The Project host Carrie Bickmore has been blasted online for launching her own cause on the very same day as an almost identical fundraiser.

The star and her co-hosts Waleed Aly and Gretel Killeen spent two segments of the talk show on Monday night talking about “Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer” appeal while sporting the beanies throughout the show.

Tonight, new @carriesB4BC beanies go on sale! Head to https://t.co/QNTq8qlMY8 from 6:30pm (AEST) to pick yours up! #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/OE7v6mztkv

— #TheProjectTV (@theprojecttv) 12 June 2017

Bickmore made reference to her late husband who died of the disease, and told a heart-wrenching story about a young girl who had also been struck down by the savage disease.

“We need to give more money to researchers in Australia so they can create treatments here in Australia so families aren’t having to go to Mexico to try and save their child’s life,” she said on the show.

“If the government’s not going to pour money into it, we will have to, I will have to, and people, when they diagnosed with cancer, they need hope. You are not given hope with brain cancer and hope is what makes you beat cancer. It is what gives you the strength.”

While viewers didn’t have a problem with the appeal itself – it was the decision to launch on the same day as the Big Freeze at the MCG that have people up in arms.

Fight MND’s annual fundraiser The Big Freeze 3 promotes sales of blue beanies in support of research into motor neurone disease and “freezes” Australian personalities by sliding them into a giant ice pool before the Queen’s Birthday AFL match between Melbourne and Collingwood at the MCG.

More than $2 million has been raised for motor neurone disease research with former tennis world number one Lleyton Hewitt, retired Test opener Adam Gilchrist, champion marathon runner Steve Moneghetti basketball champion Andrew Gaze and former Australian netball captain Sharelle McMahon all submerged in the icy water.

Bickmore’s appeal began today and her website has already told of selling out of some styles of beanies and invited people to put their names down for next year — while also pitching a draw for a luxury car.

“The day has finally come! You can now officially order your beanies. Order yours today and you’ll go into the draw to win a Mercedes-Benz A180, kindly donated by our friends at Mercedes-Benz Toorak,” a message on the website signed by Bickmore reads.

It continued: “Alternatively, you can pre-register your interest in next year’s beanies to get in first in 2018! I’m sure it will be worth the wait. We thank you so much for all of your support, I’m truly humbled by Australia’s overwhelming response. The foundation is run by volunteers who do all they can to support brain cancer and we thank you for joining them in being so generous.”

Many of the tweets from angry viewers acknowledged Bickmore’s great work in cancer fundraising, but questioned the timing of the appeal launch.

One angry tweet read: “You guys seriously trying to undermine Neale Daniher? Get your own beanie day. Support your cause but f*** let him shine.”

Daniher is an AFL legend who coached the Melbourne Demons who were playing in today’s blockbuster versus Collingwood.

Another said: “Channel 10 vs Channel 7, Beanies vs Beanies, Brain cancer vs MND.”

A fan of your cause BUT VERY poor form on yours & @theprojecttv behalf for not supporting & hijacking #MND day at MCG today .#ordinary

— Stephen Anastasiu (@187_steve) 12 June 2017

However, Bickmore’s fans were quick to support the Gold Logie winner online.

Carolynn Eccles posted on Facebook: “It’s not a competition, it’s raising money for medical research!” while Jonathan Hair wrote, “WHO CARES!! It was bound to happen when similar cancer appeals are on the same day. Get off ya high horses and donate to both … GEEZ!!!”