Katrina joins sea of Marilyns to raise funds for South Aussies impacted by cancer

This time last year, Katrina Brown was undergoing treatment for breast cancer as she watched her sister swim around Brighton Jetty dressed as Marilyn Monroe in her honour. This February, Katrina is cancer free and taking part in her first Marilyn Jetty Swim on Sunday 4 February for the biggest year yet of this iconic event.

Held every February as a part of the Channel 7 Brighton Jetty Classic, the 2024 Marilyn Jetty Swim will see more than 660 people flock to Brighton Jetty from across Australia and around the world, to swim or paddle 400 metres around the Brighton Jetty dressed head to toe as ‘50s icon Marilyn Monroe.

In September 2022, Katrina noticed a very small lump in her breast and although she wasn’t too concerned at the time, she went to her GP as soon as possible to get it checked out. She was shocked to discover that this tiny lump was in fact breast cancer – which they had thankfully managed to find early.

It was a long 14 months of treatments and surgeries but last month Katrina had her final breast cancer surgery and is now cancer free.

“I was really lucky to have such a fantastic medical team and an incredibly supportive family, who were there for me throughout my entire cancer journey including driving me to and from chemo appointments and helping me to stay so positive throughout the whole experience,” Katrina said.

“Especially my sister Andrea who was extremely supportive from the day I was diagnosed. So, when she told me that her and a friend had signed up to do the Marilyn Jetty Swim on my behalf, I was quite taken aback but very proud.”

Andrea and her friend Jayne joined hundreds of Marilyns at Brighton Jetty last February, and while Katrina was still undergoing chemotherapy at the time, nothing could have stopped her from going along to support them.

The 2024 swim will be Katrina’s first and she’ll be taking the plunge with her sister and a group of close friends by her side.

“Having never seen it before other than on TV, it was an amazing sight to watch. We sat on a park bench near where the Marilyns enter the beach and it was a sea of Marilyns that seemed endless. The atmosphere was fantastic,” Katrina said.

“I said then that I would participate as soon as I was able – not only did it look like great fun but it raises money for such a worthwhile cause that is now really close to my heart.”

“I’ll also be doing the swim for all those who have been through their own cancer journeys and were not as fortunate as me – I will be thinking of them during my swim.”

Since the first Marilyn Jetty Swim in 2014, which was founded by local community fundraiser Sarah Tinney, the incredible Marilyns have raised over $1 million to date for South Australians impacted by cancer. This year, the blonde bombshells hope to raise $300,000 for Cancer Council SA life-saving prevention, research and support services that make such a difference.

Cancer Council SA Chief Executive Kerry Rowlands said, “We are so proud to watch this iconic event grow each year, with 2024 set to see a record number of Marilyns jump in the water with us to raise vital funds for the more than 11,000 South Australians diagnosed with cancer every year.”

“Thanks to support from the South Australian community and fundraising events like the Marilyn Jetty Swim, we are able to provide life-saving prevention, research and support programs like our Cancer Council 13 11 20 Information and Support service that are making such a difference.”

The 2024 Marilyn Jetty Swim will take place on Sunday 4 February as a part of the Channel 7 Brighton Jetty Classic. To donate and support the bold, fabulous Marilyns taking part in the Marilyn Jetty Swim visit themarilyns.org.