Dubai duo aim to raise funds for cancer through nationwide charity golf challenge

Two Dubai-based businessmen, Simon Mellor and Edward (Ted) Bloom, will attempt to play a single hole at 18 different courses across five emirates within the UAE on the same day to raise money and awareness for families affected by cancer.

As part of the first-ever 18 on Eighteen initiative, a nationwide golf challenge, the duo will travel 540km by road across the UAE as they complete the par 72 challenge on Monday, May 3.

Mellor and Bloom have committed all the money raised by 18 on Eighteen to Friends of Cancer Patients.

The pair will start their challenge under floodlights on the fifth hole at Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Khaimah, before moving on to Sharjah Golf Club, Al Zorah Golf Club in Ajman, a dozen courses in Dubai and, finally, to a trio of courses in Abu Dhabi.

Mellor, is the managing director of Messe Frankfurt Middle East whose wife Paula was diagnosed with leukemia in March last year. “In early 2020, our family had to face the additional challenge of cancer, which has been incredibly hard for us all in so many ways. Fortunately, we appear to be winning our particular battle, but equally we know that other families do not have such a positive outcome. All that led to us subsequently wanting to do something in the fight against this terrible disease. Although a crazy aspiration at the start of the year, 18 on Eighteen now seems the perfect solution; it helps promote golf in the UAE while raising money and awareness in respect of all types of cancer,” said Mellor. His golfing partner Bloom meanwhile is the director of Dubai World Trade Centre’s DXB Live.

The 18 on Eighteen challenge will not only see Mellor and Bloom challenge themselves, but they will also host two guest players on each of the 18 individual holes they tackle and compete against sponsor teams playing full rounds at each of the 18 courses they visit.

Based on a Texas Scramble Format, the overall winners of the sponsor line-up will claim the inaugural “Friend of Cancer Patients Challenge Trophy” at a presentation dinner later in May.

Mellor and Bloom have also created what they dub the “Ultimate Prize in UAE golf’ open to members of the public.

“Anyone who correctly guesses what Ted and I shoot alongside our two playing partners on each hole will go into a prize draw. One lucky winner will then take away the Ultimate Prize in UAE golf, which includes a set of custom fitted clubs, coaching lessons for a year, access to hospitality at the three leading professional events, plus a round of golf with three friends at each of the eighteen courses,” explained Mellor.

Those entering the Ultimate Prize in UAE Golf competition will be asked to donate a minimum Dhs100 to the Friends of Cancer Patients when posting their guess on the event’s Facebook page.