Here’s where it began for me:
I had a dream - That one day cancer will be as simple to cure as an ingrown toenail. I reckon this is a pretty cool dream.
And here’s why:
Cancer has beaten up and killed many Australians (and I do love Aussies) and sure that’s a bit of a pain ... but to me it’s not all that bad ... I don’t have cancer …..yet ... and hopefully I don’t get it … and if I do I hope to heck its fixable.
The thing that nuts me about cancer is that it has been taking cheeky pot-shots at some of my buddies …and I don’t dig that at all ..and being a good mate, I want to take a couple of sturdy slugs back. It even gave a rattle to my dad ..and he’s only little ….and old …and that’s just not cool.. he’s wrinkly and cute like a sharpei puppy .. and I dug him a lot.
Given that I can’t conduct gene research to cure cancer myself (it requires incredible patience and smartness and I can’t even work my remote ..also I don’t have a microscope).
Either Can Too picked me or I picked Can Too ..but either way it’s been a remarkable decade long journey of discovery. And I learned about selfish selflessness.
Cancer has such an insidious presence and this was no more real for me than the day my dad got taken out by cancer. He had ten great “Bonus” years thanks to the outcomes provided by Australia’s remarkable cancer researchers.
In this time he got to meet four more grandchildren and we are all just so grateful for every one of the additional hugs and the smiles he brought to the world during that decade. The funding of early stage cancer researchers ( the boldest and bravest of them all ) is pivotal to the fight against this insidious disease. And raising awareness and funding whilst empowering others is the selfless bit.
And the selfish bit is well, frankly, I just love swimming in the ocean. And the Can Too Ocean swim programmes have simply been tons of fun for me- seeing the smiles on participants faces as they achieve a previously unachievable goal is worth its weight in gold to me.
Find out more about why I Can Too with the video below.
