Father and son Ben and Xavier Neil will surf every day in February to raise money for cancer research.
A Newcastle network of 200 to 250 surfers will join them in the SurFebruary challenge, which urges participants to surf or swim every day for a month.
The challenge raises money for Chris O'Brien Lifehouse - a not-for-profit cancer hospital.
Lifehouse is one of Australia's biggest cancer centres for clinical trials, giving patients access to the latest breakthrough treatments.
Xavier, of Whitebridge, has been named as a junior brand ambassador for this year's challenge.
Since 2019, his team has raised more than $67,000 for the charity - the highest amount in the event's six-year history.
Each morning in February, Xavier and Ben will rise early and surf at Bar or Dudley beaches.
Xavier, 13, will surf before school - he'll be in year 8 this year at San Clemente High School at Mayfield.
He has been surfing since the age of four. He liked the "joy of being in the water" and having the "agility to glide" across waves.
As for fundraising, he said it "makes me feel warm".
"You know it's going to a good cause," he said.
Ben has been a long-time surfer himself.
"It's a month of sunrises, a month of being in the ocean - there are certainly some strong personal benefits from it," he said.
"Getting up every day and getting in the water, regardless of the conditions, might deter some people.
"But when you think about the people you're doing it for and what they're going through, it really is quite insignificant."
The pair visited Lifehouse last week.
"They showed us some projects and research initiatives funded by SurFebruary," Ben said.
"It was amazing the difference they're making to people living with cancer."
The pair began fundraising for the hospital after a friend received treatment there.
Ben said his son had inspired a lot of people to join the cause.
This included kids from school and rugby, along with "boardriders clubs getting on board".
"There were adults who saw what he was doing, who might not have surfed for 20 years, but been touched with cancer one way or another."
Ben said SurFebruary was initially "a taste of fundraising and a bit of a life lesson" for Xavier.
The aim was to teach him that "no matter what you're doing in life, you can always do something for others".
"He originally had a target of $1000 in the first year. He got that in 24 hours and ended up raising $12,000 or $13,000," he said.
"It gave us a bond over surfing and he was getting a buzz out of fundraising. He's continued with his own passion project in fundraising ever since."
Xavier and his mum Emma Neil began a business called Good X Karma, with profits going to charity. They have raised about $110,000 in total.
Xavier said the products were "made with love".
"They're handcrafted and when they get bought the money goes somewhere where love is felt, to a cancer patient or research," he said.
Ben is proud of his son.
"It's a bit of responsibility for him every year. He's got a fair bit of commitment to SurFebruary and Good X Karma," he said.
"And he's an ambassador for Charlie's Run 4 Kids, another local charity.
"It's a bit harder than just surfing every day. We have to run in that one."
