“It's tough, you get blisters and get dehydrated and you basically cry all weekend, but it’s well worth it to do something unique for sufferers” – these are the words of two local sisters who are doing their bit for women who suffer from cancer.
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For Jodi Harman and Kelly Hallett, walking 60 kilometres is just a small sacrifice, when you consider the pain, anguish and detriment people with cancer and their families have to deal with.
The sisters have found their own way to show their support and are reaching out to the local community to help them in their endeavours.
The ladies are part of an eight man team that are preparing for the challenge of ‘The Weekend to End Women’s Cancers’ which raises funds for the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.
This will be the second year the duo will take part in the 60 kilometre walk through the streets of Sydney after they learnt about the cause on Facebook last year.
The event raises funds for the lifehouse which is named in memory of an Australian cancer specialist who also suffered from an aggressive brain tumour that took his life after a traumatic three year battle.
The service prides itself on treating the whole person, not just the cancer and offers everything from the hospital to acupuncture, counselling, yoga and overall general care to women with cancer.
The world class not for profit integrated cancer treatment centre is based at Camperdown, next door to the iconic Sydney RPA hospital.
Last year more than 800 people took part in the walk raising more than $2.3 million for the facility, with the local ladies’ team raising more than $16,000.
This year, the team includes members from Maitland, Sydney and Dalby, as well as Jodi from Scone and Kelly from Aberdeen, who are known as Team ‘Like Minded’.
Each team member must raise a minimum of $2000 to take part in the event, which will see them walk 30 kilometres from Darling Harbour on November 7, camp the night on yoga mats in tents at Ryde before walking the final 30 kilometres back on the Sunday.
Jodi said the idea of the walk is to represent what the cancer journey is like.
“You start off all keen and it gradually wears you down as you go, so you stop overnight and regenerate and then go again until the end of the journey.
“They have a special dinner and inspirational guest speakers including current cancer sufferers and survivors on the Saturday night, it’s a very emotional weekend,” she said.
Jodi said they were motivated to take part in the event as she has recently lost two very special people to cancer and this is a unique event that not only supports breast cancer, but all women’s cancers.
“We all have mums, sisters and friends that are affected, and this is a way we can do something.
“As part of the walk we walk through the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse so we get to see where the money goes, as all funds raised go immediately to lifehouse,” she said.
In terms of preparation, the ladies are keeping active and healthy, however they said you can’t really prepare for it.
“It is quite physically challenging, but it is also very emotional.”
Anyone who would like to support the sisters in their mission can leave a donation at Melanie’s Jewellers or donate online by visiting www.endcancer.org.au and find the team ‘Like Minded’, then find the ladies’ names.
Alternatively, they have a Facebook page – ‘Like Minded – Weekend to End Women’s Cancers’.