CANCER.

It's the word that sounds like a sentence.

And nestled in between cane fields off the beaten track in Lethebrook, not far out of Proserpine, pink signs pointed to a property with five light aircraft parked out the front, 14 vintage restored cars parked at the side and a barbecue churning out lunch.

And perhaps the most noticeable part of last Sunday, everyone at the property was dressed in bright pink.

Welcome to the Bloody Big BBQ, a Bush Flyers Down Under initiative to raise money for the McGrath Foundation after one of their own was diagnosed.

Julie Hands, the humble organiser of the fundraiser, hasn't personally met the NSW woman for whom she is fundraising.

But that doesn't mean the Bowen nurse is averse to the effects of the disease in her personal or professional life.

"Everyone has been affected by cancer in some way, shape or form," she said.

I see it all too often at work and even here today there are people present who have lost partners to cancer, beaten cancer themselves or currently have cancer.

"We choose the McGrath Foundation because they are focused on support not just for the person but their loved ones and friends and community."

BFDU is described as a "group of friends" who fly agricultural planes all around Australia and Ms Hands and her husband have been pilots themselves for more than 15 years.

They have flown around Australia three times, stopping over at farms with airstrips to land. They even built their plane, Savannah, themselves.

"One of our pilot's wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and he rocked up to an event with his plane painted pink which got people talking about what we could do," Ms Hands said.

"They said we should have a big morning tea to raise money but the blokes said we don't want a morning tea, we want a 'bloody big barbecue'."

And from there it caught on, right around Australia the BFDU members have begun to host Bloody Big BBQs to raise money.

Inviting friends, family and other community groups - more than 70 people came together for a barbecue lunch, raffles and turns flying in the aircraft to raise a total of $1361.

The Whitsunday Auto Restoration Club members brought their cars to show off and friends flew their planes in for the day.

"I'd like to extend a huge thank you to Whitsunday Flying Friends, Bushflyers Down Dnder, Whitsunday Auto Restoration Club, my neighbours and friends," Ms Hands said.

"Also the founder of Bush Flyers Tim Howes for organising the Big BBQs."

If you missed out on the event, the Lakeside Airstrip at Bloomsbury is hosting its own public event later this month on March 18.

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For more photos make sure you pick up your copy of the Whitsunday Coast Guardian this week.