Julian Jefferis, the voice for Pancare
Article by Abbey Hurney
This weekend our Height 4 Hire GPS Premier Grade side will be wearing the charity round jerseys, showing our support to the Ronald McDonald House South East Queensland, the Pancare Foundation and long-time club member Julian Jefferis and the Jefferis Family.
After joining the Jeeps Juniors in 1995 as a towering lock forward, Jules went on to continue playing into Colts and seniors at the club. Club committee member and mate to Jules, Liam Ferguson opened up about his friend.
“Jules has been absolutely floored by the support he and Pancare have received this week from the Jeeps community. It has been trying times in the last few years to be a rugby person in Australia, but as Jules said, times like this show what rugby and Jeeps is about, getting behind someone in a battle.”
“Pancreatic Cancer struggles to get any air time above some of the big causes, such as Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer, and Mental Illness. Because of this, Jules says raising the profile and awareness of the Pancare Foundation is just as important as any funds raised.”
Since his diagnosis in 2017, Jules has learnt all he can about Pancreatic Cancer, the challenges that arise, treatment and about the Pancare Foundation. Having committed himself to the fundraising and raising of public awareness for Pancare, he has been described as ‘one of the best things to happen to Pancare.’
With many memories to share both on and off the field, Fergy shared one of his favourite Rugby moments with Jules,
“Jules has always been amongst the smartest and mature of his rugby friends – not hard. On the GPS Rugby 2010 tour of South America – we did not have a single coach or manager, so Jules and I were the tour managers.”
“Jules assumed full responsibility pretty early on in the tour. I really enjoyed watching him trying to round up 40 rugby players in Uruguay to get on the team bus to the airport to fly to Rio De Janero for our next tour game.”
“We had played the day before, and then some players had celebrated too long. So Jules was running around a hotel trying to locate lost players or risk being stranded in Uruguay. He had hotel staff knocking on room doors looking for boys and was worried some of them might be in the watch house. He got all 40 on the bus and we just made our flight, and Jules nearly had a nervous breakdown.”
Jules, Liam and many other former teammates and friends will be spectating from the Pancare tent this Saturday at Yoku Road to watch our boys take on Sunnybank.
The GPS community is lucky to have so many dedicated and generous members willing to lend a helping hand to a much needed cause.
Julian and his wife Allie
Jules (middle) in 2010 celebrating a GPS 4th Grade Grand Final win!