CHERIE DEAR NAMED VICTORIA'S AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AFTER TURNING GRIEF INTO HOPE
Bayside mum and pancreatic cancer campaigner Cherie Dear has been named the 2027 Australian of the Year for Victoria.
Cherie Dear, 59, was honoured at a ceremony in Melbourne on Thursday evening, November 12, alongside three other remarkable Victorians.
All four will now represent the state at the national awards, which will be announced in Canberra on January 25, 2027.
National Australia Day Council chief executive Carrie Leeson summed up the group neatly, saying, "The Victorian recipients are inspiring examples of how personal experience can drive change."
How Cherie Dear turned heartbreak into action
Cherie's story began with a devastating double blow.
Her husband, AFL legend Paul Dear, died of pancreatic cancer in July 2022, and her father died of the same disease just months later.
Rather than retreat, she co-founded Dare to Hope, a national platform raising awareness of pancreatic cancer and funding research.
She also created the Dare to Hope AFL match between Hawthorn and Geelong, which now draws more than 80,000 fans and reaches around 1.5 million viewers, according to The Canberra Times.
The organisation is run by volunteers and now funds three research fellowships.
Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of any cancer, so awareness of the symptoms really matters.
If you notice ongoing changes such as unexplained weight loss, tummy or back pain, or yellowing of the skin, speak to your GP.
The Senior Australian of the Year for Victoria
Associate Professor Wenn Lawson from Warrnambool, 74, was named Senior Australian of the Year for Victoria.
He is an autistic autism researcher, educational psychologist and social worker.
As a teenager he was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, and he was not correctly diagnosed as autistic until he was 42.
Since then he has written 30 books, plus three for children, and developed autism guides used in Australia and Europe.
He is also known for his work on monotropism, a theory about how autistic people focus their attention.
For families navigating a new diagnosis, his work offers both practical guidance and real hope.
A young heart health champion
Ryan Brigham from Donvale, 27, is the Young Australian of the Year for Victoria.
He founded the charity Health in Focus when he was just 21.
It has since engaged more than 800 young volunteers and mobilised more than $500,000 for health initiatives and education in Australia and overseas.
In Victoria, the charity runs mobile cardiac screening clinics that offer free heart health checks.
Ryan has lived with serious illness himself and has had more than 10 operations, which makes his drive to help others all the more striking.
The Local Hero keeping young people moving
Victoria's Local Hero is Gavin "Bear" Hynam, 65, a volunteer car mechanic from Horsham.
Through his Cars 4 Youth program, he sources second-hand cars, makes them roadworthy and gives them to young people who need transport.
He also volunteers with the state's L2P program, which pairs learner drivers with mentors to help them clock up their driving hours.
Once his young drivers get their licence, he hands them their first car with six months' registration.
In a region where public transport is limited, that set of keys can make all the difference.
The Canberra Times reports that many young people in the Wimmera can now get to university, hold down jobs or support their families thanks to him.
Where Cherie Dear goes from here
Cherie Dear and her fellow recipients will join winners from every state and territory as finalists for the national titles.
Several other states and territories have already named their recipients, with the rest to follow over the coming weeks.
You can follow the full journey to Australia Day on the Australian of the Year Awards website.
Whoever takes home the national titles, Victoria has already gained four wonderful reminders of what one determined person can do.
