Dry July at Tamworth a fundraiser for cancer research

"I think everyone at some point will know somebody who's been touched by cancer or affected by cancer, so I just think the support services that Dry July funds are crucial," Ms McHugh said.

Ms McHugh was among more than 25,000 people across Australia who signed-up for Dry July, going alcohol-free for the month and raising more than $7 million for cancer.

Ms McHugh has already raised $1415 and motivated her brother to give it a go next year.

"It's a good cause to start with and you can get on a bit of a health kick at the same time," she said.

Ms McHugh's mother died from breast cancer, which is the fifth most deadly type of cancer in Australia, claiming the lives of an estimated 3214 people in 2022 alone.

"It is a difficult time when any parent dies - it's not a pleasant situation," Ms McHugh said.

"It was an emotional time for my whole family when my mother died, and I was pregnant with my last child at that point."

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This is the second year in a row Ms McHugh has participated in Dry July, raising about $632 last year and "knocking off a couple of kilos" during a trip to Turkey with her daughter.

"I thought I'd give it another crack," Ms McHugh said.

Replacing her usual alcoholic drink while cooking dinner with a cool and refreshing soda and lime fizzy drink, Ms McHugh barely noticed the difference.

"[Having Dry July] in the middle of winter, people don't go out as much, so there were not as many social situations where you feel as if you might cave in and have a drink," she said.

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