Jess Mileusnic

This is for my love ones and all those impacted by cancer.

In September 2024, my husband Igor was in ICU, fighting for his life after being diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma for the fourth time. Hooked up to machines, surrounded by monitors and drains, he could barely walk. But every single day, I watched him try. He fought to get out of bed. He pushed himself to complete just one lap around the ICU, dragging all those tubes and wires behind him, because giving up simply wasn't in his nature.

He eventually made it out of ICU and back onto the ward. We held onto hope. We truly believed we would bring him home. But sadly, complications took him from us in October 2024.

Last year, Go the Distance helped pull me out of one of the darkest periods of grief. It reconnected me with friends, gave me something to focus on, and helped me feel close to Igor again.

The past few years have been the most painful of my life. The grief has been overwhelming. Losing Igor—my husband, my best friend, my person—is impossible to put into words. But it wasn't only Igor. I also lost my brother to cancer, and more recently, our dear friend Yoshi.

Igor, John, my brother and Yoshi were all forces of light and incredible strength. None of them complained, even in the hardest seasons of their lives. They kept showing up for the people they loved. Igor walked through unimaginable pain with courage. John never lost his humour. Yoshi continued coaching and giving back to the sport she loved, even after major brain surgery. They never stopped going the distance, no matter what they were facing.

This year, we're taking on @gothedistance_cobl in honour of them, and for everyone else whose lives have been touched by cancer—including my aunty, who has also faced cancer, and my uncle, who is currently fighting his own battle.

I'm incredibly grateful for my village, who continue to lift me up and keep me moving forward. To everyone who is walking (or swimming… or snowboarding!) beside me this year, thank you. Thank you for being there for Iggy and for me through some of the hardest and saddest days of our lives.

@chris_obrien_lifehouse is a place built on hope. Every dollar raised helps fund world-class research, innovative treatments and compassionate care. More funding means more breakthroughs, more time, and more people getting to go home to the ones they love. It means people like Iggy, John and Yoshi have a greater chance of living longer. And it means more children, like my daughter, don't have to grow up without a parent.