They have cut out coffee – a near necessity in their information technology world – and Mr Topui has cut down cigarettes. The pair do so, taking up the Dry July challenge, to improve the comfort and well-being of people affected by cancer in Ballarat.

About two-thirds into the month and the pair say they are really feeling the personal benefits as a by-product: more energy and, for Mr Topui, breathing a lot easier.

“To be honest, we’re not big drinkers so we thought Dry July would be rather easy. We’d have Friday knock-off beers and haven’t done that this month,” Mr Topui said.

Mr Topui said he felt hypocritical giving up alcohol for cancer awareness while still heavily smoking. He has seized the opportunity to try and give up smoking altogether. Mr Topui has cut back to two cigarettes a day, then is aiming for one daily by the month’s end as he phases out smoking.

Dry July directly injects funding into Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre’s wellness programs. Efforts this year will boost the centre’s oncology massage program in Ballarat and BRICC’s Wellness on Wheels in Stawell.

The pair said it was important to them to keep their sobering efforts in the Ballarat community. Mr Fong is chief executive officer for homegrown tech company Lateral Plains and Mr Topui is the company’s chief operating officer.

They said everyone in Ballarat was affected by cancer in some way, including Mr Fong’s late grandmother who travelled from Malaysia to seek better cancer treatment in Australia.

“We are a Ballarat business and we are proud to support Ballarat charities,” Mr Topui said. “The better the support for Ballarat, the better we can all make this city for our family and friends.”

The pair said colleagues had been generous, particularly when it came to a fines system for language used in the office.

Mr Fong and Mr Topui have raised more than $1200 for their efforts and hope to double this by the month’s end. BRICC has tallied more than $18,000 so far.

To support: dryjuly.com via IT Nerds – Ballarat or BRICC.

ROSEMARY’S Speakeasy is encouraging art lovers to stay dry in the cafe’s latest pop-up gallery event.

Bright mocktails are on the menu with plenty of finger food in the Linton cafe on Saturday in a bid to support those going dry this July in a bid to improve support for people affected by cancer.

The cafe will also donate 20 per cent of the bill to your Dry July campaign if registered in the national fundraising drive.

This is the third edition of the pop-up gallery with more street art on show to peruse or purchase.

The theme is bright and uplifting, to help raise spirits when the weather outside might be grey and gloomy.

There will be at least 11 artists featured in this weekend’s exhibition, including four from the Ballarat region.

Pop-up Gallery at Rosemary’s Speakeasy will open at midday on Saturday.