Hi there!

I'm making a difference by fundraising for a cause that's close to my heart. Please support my efforts by making a secure online donation and by posting a message of support.

THIS IS MY STORY

On March 2017 I was diagnosed with stage 4 aggressive bowel cancer with a 20% chance of survival, what do you do when being told this, apart from being scared and frightened not only for me but for my wife and children as well I guess I was numb and the thoughts of how can this happen to me I'm only 56 and fit and healthy. I still remember my wife Paula and I going and meeting the surgeon sitting and listening to how the procedure would go, if it went well I would be out in a couple of hours and would have a colostomy bag for the next 12 months then hopefully have a reversal done. On the day of the procedure all did not go well the cancer had burst through my bowel and had traveled to most of my lymph noeds in my groin so 8 hrs later I was out of surgery sporting a new place to poo. In a way that was the easy part, the Chemo and radiation that followed was pretty bad to say the least once a week I would have a 4hr session of chemo then they would put a new bottle of chemo which was hooked up to a port in my chest for the next 6 days I carried this in a bum bag. Radiation was weekly as well this caused so much pain and barely being able to walk.this went on for 6 months with barely a break in between.

You learn a lot about yourself going through this and how strong mentally you are. While still having chemo I took up trail running well trail shuffling I would call it lol I even entered races running with my chemo bottle attached to me. Running and the support of my family and friends gave me strength to overcome all obstacles put in front of me and I would need all the strength I had because in June 2020 I was out on my bike for a training ride heading to Torquay and around the coast and a car failed to stop at the intersection and hit me full on. I was air lifted to Melbourne unconscious. when I awoke I was told I had Broken my neck plus fractures in my back,fractuerd most of my ribs through the impact shattered my clavical and suffered a head injury. The surgeons put me back together taking bone out of my hip and placing in the cracks in my vertebrae and wired and screwed me back together.

You may think how did he survive mentally through this !!! well as soon as my body would let me I was out walking and paddling a kayak we are stronger than we will ever know and that was drummed into me by a man named David Goggins on YouTube, I have a lot to thank him for. so now its 2023 and they tell me its a miracle that I'm cancer free

ON 20TH NOVEMBER 2023 I WILL A PART OF THE MASSIVE MURRY PADDLE PADDLING THE FULL DISTANCE 415KM OVER 5 DAYS SO PLEASE SUPPORT ME AND MY CAUSE

Donations made through Just Giving are secure and will be remitted directly through to Bowel Cancer Australia. Thanks so much for your support!