The Wes Bonny Cup returns to Johns

The Wes Bonny Memorial Game is returning to Johns this September, with a new format and the same reason for being there. The event has been reimagined as the Wes Bonny Cup, a bowls day bringing together current residents and Ex-Ressies at RUC Turner. It will be a chance to have a few games, catch up with old friends and, importantly, get a free skin check from Skin Check Champions.

Remembering Wes

Wes Bonny lived at Johns from 2002 to 2005.

He loved sport, the outdoors and spending time with his mates. At 23, Wes was diagnosed with melanoma after a spot on his neck was found to be cancerous. The melanoma was removed, but it had already spread into his bloodstream. It later spread to his brain, and Wes died in March 2010, aged just 26.

His story went on to become the subject of a major skin cancer awareness campaign. The campaign told the story of Wes through the experiences of his family and friends, challenging the idea that melanoma was something that only happened to older people. For those who knew Wes, however, he was never simply the face of a campaign. He was a mate and someone whose loss was felt deeply by the people around him.

From a group of mates to Skin Check Champions

Following Wes' death, his friends wanted to do something about what had happened.

One of those friends was Scott Maggs, who went on to establish the movement that became Skin Check Champions. What began with a group of mates growing beards as a way of starting conversations about skin cancer developed into a much larger campaign encouraging Australians to get their skin checked. Skin Check Champions now runs mobile skin check clinics at events and in communities around Australia. The organisation's focus is straightforward: encourage people to get checked and help find skin cancers early. It is a fitting continuation of Wes' story that Skin Check Champions will be joining us at the Wes Bonny Cup this year.

Free skin checks on the day

Skin Check Champions will be at RUC Turner during the event offering free skin checks. It is an opportunity for everyone attending to take a few minutes out of the afternoon to have their skin checked. Wes' experience is a reminder that being young and healthy does not make someone immune to melanoma. When he was first diagnosed, he was only 23. His story has continued to be used in skin cancer education precisely because it challenges the assumption that skin cancer is something to worry about later in life.

A new version of the Wes Bonny Memorial Game

For many years, the Wes Bonny Memorial Game was played as an Australian Rules match. This year, the event is changing tack.

The Wes Bonny Cup will be played on the bowling greens at RUC Turner, giving current residents and Ex-Ressies a chance to get involved whether they are serious bowlers or have never picked up a bowl before. The change gives the event a more relaxed feel while keeping Wes at its centre. There will be bowls, a few drinks, plenty of stories and the opportunity to see people who may not have been back to Johns for some time. Most importantly, the day continues something that Wes' mates started more than a decade ago: using his story to encourage people to take skin cancer seriously.

RSVP Here:

Wes Bonny Cup

Sunday 27 September 2026
1.00pm
RUC Turner

Free skin checks will be available on the day through Skin Check Champions.

Come along, have a bowl, catch up with some familiar faces and get your skin checked.