Molly Croft continues to inspire as she brings Australian Diamond netball players to Dubbo

By producing 2000 shirts and 250 netball bibs as well as teaming up with Budgie Smugglers to design and sell swimming costumes, Molly and the Tie Dye project are hoping to raise more than $200,000 for cancer research.

The research project is focussing on a clinical translation of CAR T cell therapy for the treatment of sarcoma and is led by Professor Geoff McCowage and Dr Kavitha Gowrishankar out of the Children's Hospital at Westmead.

"This research project is not going to help me, it's going to help all those kids coming behind me," Molly said.

The Tie Dye project, which was created by Australian Diamond Amy Parmenter in 2017 after her mother died of cancer, teamed up with Molly in 2019 after meeting her at the Westmead Children's Telethon when the then 12-year-old, tie-dye enthusiast, was undergoing treatment for an aggressive cancer, Osteosarcoma.

They instantly hit it off.

Amy was inspired by Molly's courage and her infectious positivity.

TTDP mantra "look for a rainbow in every day" was introduced by Molly and fits what the Tie Dye Project is all about, giving people something to smile about and be grateful for - even on those very tough days.

Days that Molly knows better than most.

Her cancer, osteosarcoma, is the cancer that kills more 15 to 24-year-olds than any other.

"My cancer is for tall, sporty kids, that's the only reason they know why kids get it, it's a young persons cancer," she said.

"To have all these netballers jump on board and create awareness is so important. If you're having sore calf muscles and they aren't getting better maybe go and take a further look."

Molly has lost many friends along her journey but still considers herself one of the lucky ones.

"I am still here, there isn't many that get the cancer and can say that. While I'm here I am going to keep fighting for change," she said.

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Molly said she couldn't be more thankful to the Dubbo community.

"I feel like the Dubbo community really rallied behind me when I got sick and truly one of the reasons why I'm still here is because the Dubbo community did get around me and gave me so much love and support," she said.

"I will always be so thankful so I think bringing the tie dye project out here is one of my little ways of saying thank you Dubbo for everything you've done for me."

Usually the Tie Dye Project takes place in Sydney but for the first time, the team will be coming out to Dubbo.

"We will be going out to Billy O'Bush Retreat at Wongarbon and will be tie dying out there on a much bigger landscape," she said.

With hopes of around 30 people coming out from Sydney, Molly was pleasantly surprised to have 75 people, including the entire Greater Western Giants and Sydney Swifts netball teams and Kiera Austin from the Melbourne Vixens sign up.

"We are probably looking at having six or seven Australian Diamond netballers come out which is absolutely incredible," Molly said.

Over the weekend the netballers will be put to work tie dying 2000 shirts and 250 sets of netball bibs.

"We will be different colours by the end of it, we will have tie dye all over us," Molly said jokingly.

Owen Finegan, a former Australian Rugby Union player and now CEO of the Kids Cancer Project has also jumped on board the Tie Dying Project.

Mr Finegan has promised to match the amount the Tie Dying project raises.

"We hope to raise over $200,000 over the weekend for a research project for CAR T cell therapy for solid bone tumours," she said.

"He is incredible to do this and I am so grateful."

The girls will be travelling out to Dubbo on Friday, November 18 and tie dying all of the stock before it goes up for sale on Saturday.

There will be two netball clinics run by former Australian Diamond Susan Pettitt on Saturday and Sunday morning for Dubbo locals.

Both of the clinics have been filled out.

"We were able to make these 100 per cent free because of funds we raised with the Confident Girls Foundation in 2021," Molly said.

"It is really exciting because we have all these netballers in town, which never happens, and so those girls will be getting a release pass from tie dying for a few hours to go out there and get photos with the kids."

Molly said it isn't a common occurrence to have both the Swifts and the Giants teams in one town at the same time.

"I'm very lucky to know them and not in a million years did I think I would know them. I know if I was in those girls shoes, which I was not too long ago, only five years ago, I would be so excited," she said.

"I know when I first met Amy I don't think I said anything, I think I laughed the whole time because I was star struck.

"I 100 per cent know how amazing it's going to be for these netballers to come out and these girls to meet them."

On Sunday, November 20 the community is invited to the Garden Hotel who will be running a 'Parmie with Parmie'.

"We will have lucky door prizes and a few raffles and the Swifts girls will be out there with Kiera Austin, and it will be our way to say goodbye and thank you to the girls for coming out to Dubbo," she said.

Molly said she would love it if residents could buy their stock but understood if people weren't able to.

"If you can't contribute financially just share our posts on social media to get the word out there, that would be amazing," she said.

"If you can contribute, 100 per cent of the proceeds go towards the cancer research and I think that's really special."

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