In 2024 the lives of Phillip Dalton, his wife, Tonie, and their children Nathan and Lauren were turned upside down when Tonie was diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM) – a highly aggressive brain cancer.

Phillip, who owns and operates Phil’s Pies and Pastries in Berwick, Victoria, said it was in April 2024 that they received a phone call from their GP saying they had found a lesion on Tonie’s brain. At the time their son, Nathan, was a doctor working in the ICU at Bendigo Base Hospital. Tonie and Phil called Nathan with the news and a simple question – is this bad?

“Nathan said anything on the brain wasn’t good. Tonie’s next question was ‘could this kill me?’ And Nathan said yes,” Phil said.

“That moment changed our life.”

Nathan left his job in Bendigo to come to Melbourne, where within day Tonie underwent an operation to remove the tumour, which was followed by both chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Phil said in this time there plenty of tears, highs and lows, and although the treatment was ultimately deemed successful Tonie was told the cancer would return.

“[They said] it may be three months, it may be six months. It may even be two or five years. There are one or two people who have lasted 15 years,” Phil said.

Beyond their own experience with brain cancer, which is estimated to kill more children than any other disease and more people under the age of 40 die from it than any other form of cancer in Australia, Phil, Tonie, Nathan and Lauren decided it was also time to help others in the same situation.

Over a family dinner one night it was decided – they would hold a fundraiser at Phil’s Pies and Pastries. Then, after chatting with others in the industry, the idea swiftly grew into Baking for Brain Cancer.

The inaugural Baking for Brain fundraising day has been set for May 31, 2025 to wrap up Grey May – brain cancer awareness month. All proceeds raised on the day will be donated to Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer.

Each participating business will be able to nominate an item, or items, that they’ll use to fundraise on the day—whether it be a loaf of bread, meat pie, or vanilla slice – whatever is popular in their store.

Phil said there were a few Victorian bakeries already signed up, but that he’d love to see the fundraiser go nationwide.

“If we could get $100,000 in our first year, that would be wonderful,” Phil said.

“And it doesn’t matter if it’s a bakery or a café – or even a chicken shop – it’s helping to raise awareness about this cancer. We’re just trying to do our little bit so that this initiative can help researcher and so that someone down the track in the future doesn’t have to endure what we’re going through now.

“If we can help one person, one family then it’s worth it. And that’s why we’re asking the baking industry, because it is such a wonderful community of people.”

More information about Baking for Brain Cancer can be found their website.