I am taking on 60km In May for cancer research for my mum!

I am taking part in Australian Cancer Research Foundation's 60km In May challenge to help raise essential funds for lifesaving cancer research.

In March 2025, my family was deeply impacted by the importance of cancer research when my mum was diagnosed with tongue cancer. 

Poor mum was struggling with what she thought was an ulcer on the side of her tongue for 3 months before it was diagnosed properly. She was always in pain when eating, it would always sting and cause her discomfort. She went to multiple GP's for them to just put her on antibiotics, telling her it was nothing. She finally saw a GP who decided to look further into it. They took a biopsy and sent it off for further testing. The results then came back and she was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma. 

Her treatment involved a glossectomy, during which half of her tongue was removed, followed by complex reconstructive surgery using tissue from other parts of her body, requiring two skin grafts. She also underwent a neck dissection to remove lymph nodes to prevent the cancer from spreading. The severity of the surgery meant she spent two weeks in hospital and required a tracheostomy, leaving her unable to speak or make any sound during her recovery. She will have noticeable scars for the rest of her life, and is currently undergoing speech therapy to essentially learn how to talk again, both are tough and daily reminders of this horrible period of her life. 

This was an incredibly frightening time for our family, but we were fortunate that her cancer was caught early, before it had the chance to spread. Not every family is as lucky. That’s why cancer research is so important to me. By supporting cancer research, you're not just funding science, you’re giving people the chance to have more time with the ones they love. 

Any donation will be appreciated.