PLEASE HELP ME SUPPORT CANCER RESEARCH
Raised
$0
My Goal
$750
My Activity Tracking
100
kms
My target 50kms
18
hours
Weekday Warrior Challenge
From Monday 18th to Friday 22nd The March Charge has challenged all 'Chargers' to commit to walking (or running) a set amount of KMs (of their choice).So this week I have committed to a minimum of 2kms each day.
Today's motto
"Im not striving to be the best, I'm striving to be better than I was yesterday".
So today I did 3.66kms.
It was extremely warm & felt like it was a lot longer than that, nevertheless I am on track to successfully completing the challenge by Friday.
Yay!
#letstellcancerwheretogo
My Dad's Cancer Story
Why am I even doing this challenge..? Well this is...
Dad's Story
My Dad's name is John, he is 76 years old. He is a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a Papa, a Vietnam vet & so much more.
Over the past 15 years Dad has had numerous minor procedures for skin cancers, including Basal Cell Cancers (BCC) & Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC) . In 2019, 2020 & again in 2021 he had surgical removal of a BCC, firstly near his left eye, then near his left jaw, then near his left cheek, these procedures were all followed by surface radiation.
Subsequently the radiation that was applied close to the left eye, caused his eye lid to drop, making it hard for him to see.
During a procedure at the Crown Princess Cancer Centre at Westmead, to remove a SSC, which resulted in the loss of the top half of his right ear, the surgeon asked about his eye lid and why it had dropped. After we explained what happened, he then referred dad to an Ophthalmic Specialist for surgical revision, in the hopes he could do surgery which would correct the damage to the eyelid. Dad was sent for an MRI so that surgical mapping could commence, however, an invasive BCC was detected in the left orbital area and left eye.
Dad was referred back to the Crown Princess Cancer Centre, ever it was determined that the oncology team would remove the entire orbital area, including his eye. The surgery would include reconstruction of the orbital area, a free flap (taken from his thigh) & and extensive graft, basically the entire left side of his face was dissected to remove the invasive BCC, the surgery took 11.5 hours. The surgery was so extensive that it made it impossible for a prosthetic eye in the future.
6 weeks later dad had extensive radiation to the left side of his face- 35 fractions of radiation, over 6 weeks.
The radiation treatments resulted in a 16kg weight loss, and permanent damage to the sinuses on the left side of his face. This has left dad with chronic infection, which has resulted in a hole in his free flap (where his eye was), sinus surgery and a failed graft.
Recently dad had a 4 hour surgery to put a new free flap over the first one, to not only cover the hole, but to pack the cavity left by the original surgery.
Dad is now 3 weeks post op and he is so far going well.
Please make a donation! It's time to tell cancer where to go -
It's time for cancer to feck right off!
Do not wait for it to hit your loved one..
Weekend Challenge 6 KM = Success!
So a weekend challenge was set for The March Chargers to commit to a 2, 4 or 6 km walk (Saturday & Sunday to achieve the goal).
I chose 6km - Go big or go home right?!
Well look what happens when my Dad is my motivation...
Almost 11.5 KMs alone in my 55 minute walk Sunday afternoon.
Prior to this a 2.16 KM walk on Saturday.
A sincere thank you to those who have made a donation already - I am incredibly grateful for your generosity.
Don't wait for this disease to hit your loved ones.
Get donating now & make a difference!
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First Day Done & Dusted
Fundraising -Originally my sponsor/ donation goal was to rally for $300 for the whole month of March
however that goal was almost reached on the very first day!
Such an incredible effort & a sincere thank you to those who have made a donation already.
But wait there's more!
The March Chargers (as a whole) have reached 1 million dollars all on the very first day aswell!
Absolutely mind-blowing!
My fitness activities-
At 5am I set off for a walk & just so happened to reach 6.43kms & didn't that feel amazing- mind, body & soul.
But then ... I decided to set myself an extra little challenge to walk a total of 10kms by the day's end.
So that's exactly what I did.
My legs are feeling it now but so is my heart
It was hard to get out of bed & hard to walk so far when I am not overly fit but my dad was & will continue to be my motivation throughout this challenge.
What dad has been through doesn't even compare to my struggles to get out of bed nor my aching legs.
Nevertheless,
it has been a great day & I look forward to smashing the set weekend challenge.
Bring it on!
L xx
Charge Attack
A "charge" is an offensive maneuver in battle in which combatants advance towards their enemy in an attempt to engage in a decisive close combat. The charge is the dominant shock attack and has been the key tactic and decisive moment of many battles throughout history.
My motivation to charge in this battle is my dad-
John.
Unfortunately, after numerous attempts of radiation & chemo his eye could not be saved, and after a 7 hour operation mid last year it was removed.
My poor dad's mental health deteriorated after this. He lost his independence & had to give up driving.
To make matters worse in August he began to develop a chronic infection in his eye hollow, which inturn impacted the graft (over his eye socket), resulting in his body rejecting it.
Approximately 3 weeks ago a second attempt was made at Westmead Private Hospital. Only time will tell if it has been a success.
It has taken a massive toll on dad both physically & mentally but he hasn't given up.
My dad- My hero
I love you
I'm taking on Cancer Council's The March Charge...
...a month-long fitness challenge to raise funds for world-class cancer research, prevention programs, and support services.
This year an estimated 162,000 Aussies will hear the words "you have cancer", and at that very pointed in time their lives (as they knew it) will have changed forever.
Multiple scans, tests, medications & therapies.
It's spending days, months even years feeling sick, suffering from pain, feeling tired & feeling weak.
It's feeling anxious for what the future may hold, it's feeling depressed for what the future may not hold.
As an adult it's worrying about your family & the household - How will the bills be paid if I can't work? How can I get the kids to school & sport? How can I continue to cook, clean & do the washing?
It's losing your freedom, it's losing your independence, it's losing your identity. It's losing your hair, an organ or limb.
It's losing your life.
Lets fight for our family's, let's fight for our friends.
Every single dollar raised in this challenge will help support Cancer Council’s life-saving cancer research, prevention programs and support services for people affected by this indiscriminate disease.
Please make a donation now & lets tell cancer where to go!
So far this year I’ve helped provide:
780 kids with a SunSmart education
or
35 calls to trained cancer professionals on 13 11 20
or
10 days of a PHD student’s world-class research
My Fundraising over the years
Thank you to my Sponsors
$302.79
Ron Evans
$263.75
Eiline And Darren Smith
You are doing a wonderful thing. So proud of you. Your father is a true warrior
$211
Sonia Jones
Amazing work Lyndal
$105.50
Maureen Jones
So grateful 🙏
$67.52
Maureen Jones
So proud
$52.75
Suzi Rice
What a wonderful way to honour your amazing Dad ❤️
$52.75
Mel. H
Lyndal you are absolutely amazing!!! You're going to smash this out of the park!! My thoughts and prayers are with your Dad for full and speedy recovery 🙏 🤞 he is a fighter!! ❤
$52.75
Lyndal
Dad 🖤
$50
Sharla Staines
GO LYNDAL!!
$26.38
Minhajuddin’s
Great cause
$21.10
Lyndal Jones
$21.10
Molly
Papa🖤
$20
Patricia Holman
$15
Azaria
$10.55
Coco Gregory
Hi Lyndal, this is Coco I donated $10.00
$10.55
Ahmed Minhajuddin
Im donating for my papa and all the people fighting cancer
$10
Meegan S
$5.28
Aaliyah Minhajuddin
I want to help my papa and the people that have cancer Aaliyah
$5
Well done Lyndal x