Cancer Fund-raising for Roy

Why I'm Fundraising for Cure Cancer

Over the past year, I've watched my dad - the strongest man I've ever known - fade away in front of me. At 71, he should have had more time.

Last year, his symptoms were misdiagnosed as mental health issues. By the time doctors correctly identified his prostate cancer six months ago, it had already progressed too far. For the past three months, he's been in and out of palliative care in Sydney.

The hardest part hasn't just been watching him physically and mentally deteriorate, especially these last few weeks. It's been the impossible choices that come with it.

I've spent long periods away from my young family in Melbourne - missing birthdays, missing Christmas, missing the everyday moments with my 5 and 3-year-old who adore their granddad. I've struggled with whether to tell them what's happening. Are they too young to understand? Would knowing be too distressing? These are questions no parent should have to answer.

No family should have to face what we're facing. No one should lose precious time because of misdiagnosis. No one should have to make these impossible choices.

That's why I'm raising funds for Cure Cancer - to support research that will lead to earlier detection, better treatments, and ultimately, a cure. So that other families might be spared this heartbreak.

I've set a modest target of $2,000. Any contribution, no matter how small, helps bring us closer to a future where cancer doesn't steal our loved ones too soon.

Thank you for your support during this difficult time.