Our Ambassadors

Jess

For Igor

My husband, Igor, was first diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in 2010 and faced four relapses over nearly 15 years. He became one of the first patients treated at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, where he received world-class care and became part of a community that gave us moments we will always treasure.

Through an immunotherapy trial and the dedication of his medical team, Igor was given more time — time to marry, to become a father, and to keep living fully. He never stopped showing up to life, even through years of treatment and pain, and continued to hold onto hope and possibility until the very end.

Lifehouse became more than a hospital to us; it became a place of connection, care and genuine humanity. We will always be deeply grateful for the support we received throughout his journey.

In 2024, I also lost my brother to testicular cancer at just 40. His treatment journey was complex due to his disability, and once again the Lifehouse team, especially palliative care, provided incredible support during an incredibly difficult time.

My husband was 33, my brother was 40, and my daughter was only two and a half when she lost both her father and her uncle.

I am now going the distance in their honour — for them, and for my daughter. I want her to grow up knowing what love, strength and resilience look like, and to carry their spirit forward in everything she does.

We’re going the distance because Igor never stopped trying, and neither will we.

Sandy

For Bella

Sandy is taking part in Go The Distance in honour of her beautiful niece, Bella Bradford, who spent three years at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse bravely fighting an aggressive sarcoma.

During that time, Bella, Sandys sister Jill and her other daughter, Ashleigh were given the most extraordinary care and compassion. The doctors, nurses, admin staff—every single person at the hospital—made Bella’s journey not only bearable but gave her a sense of home and safety.

"Bella was the most resilient and grateful person I have ever known. Right up until her passing, she carried herself with wisdom and grace, always taking the time to thank those around her—from her medical team to her friends and family. She truly was a warrior and an inspiration.

Through her TikTok videos, Bella shared powerful lessons on life, teaching others to cherish the little things and to always be grateful. No matter how unwell she felt, she challenged her body each day—walking, exercising, and pushing herself to stay strong.

This fundraiser is for Bella, and for every cancer warrior who shows us what courage, strength, and love truly look like.

And finally, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all the incredible staff at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse—without their care, dedication, and kindness, Bella and her family’s journey would have been very different."

Melissa

For her parents

In 2022, around the time both of her parents were diagnosed with cancer, Melissa was also involved in a serious car accident that left her unable to work or drive. Following this incredibly difficult period, she shares why she is choosing to Go the Distance for Chris O’Brien Lifehouse this September.

“My mum, who had oesophageal cancer, was treated at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and stayed there for four months. The care she received was exceptional — from the palliative care team to the doctors, nurses and dietitians.

She had a very strong personality and loved music, especially the sessions with Harry the Music Therapist. She even challenged him to learn Irish folk songs for her birthday, and to our surprise he did. It brought her so much joy on that day.

We were always made to feel welcome at Lifehouse. There were spaces where we could sit quietly, work, cry, or simply take a moment when we needed it.

My dad, who was 80 at the time and also living with prostate cancer, was understandably anxious. The team at Lifehouse gave him so much information and reassurance as he sat by Mum’s bedside every day. While we couldn’t hold on to hope in the way we wanted, he found a sense of peace in their support, and that meant everything.

Mum sadly passed away at the end of September after four months of care. We were honoured to attend the memorial service at Lifehouse that year — it was a deeply meaningful experience during an incredibly hard time.”

Taking part in Go the Distance has helped Melissa regain focus and wellbeing, and this September she is honouring her family while helping make a difference for others.

Cooper

For myself

Earlier in the year, after seeing a doctor about a pain in his knee, further scans brought devastating news. Cooper was diagnosed with a rare form of soft tissue cancer, called sarcoma.

With that news came another crushing blow. To give him the best shot at survival, Cooper would need to have his leg amputated at the knee.

"It was the worst day of my life,” Cooper said. “There were many sleepless nights thinking about what my future would look like. How would I get down on one knee to propose to my girlfriend, or play with my kids? But I'll take being alive with one leg, over the alternative.”

After months of nausea-inducing chemotherapy, Cooper had his operation last April. He threw himself into recovery and was on crutches within 24 hours of surgery.

Amid everything, he started documenting his experience on Instagram and TikTok and has amassed a large international following. “I want to change the stigma around cancer and show people it's not a death sentence,” explains Cooper.

Three months post-surgery, Cooper isn't looking back. With the end of treatment in sight, he's taken on a new challenge – tackling 100km with his best mate for Go the Distance. He hopes as many people as possible will join him to raise funds for Chris O'Brien Lifehouse.

“I am so thankful that I have Chris O'Brien Lifehouse. I truly don't know what my time would be like without it. I've been given a second chance at life, and I owe it to myself to give back.”

from Josh

For me and my family

Josh was living in Adelaide, enjoying the first few months of his new career in the Army when he discovered a lump in his neck. After a PET scan, he received the news that no one deserves to hear.

"I had expected the worst, but when they told me it was cancer, I just felt angry,” Josh recalls. "I had gone through a full year of Army training, just to get cancer."

Josh had synovial sarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue cancer. As the specialist sarcoma treatment centre for New South Wales, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse was recommended to Josh as the best place for treatment. His parents Ian and Lisa helped Josh pack up his belongings into the back of his car, and together they made the 16-hour drive back to Sydney.

"Much of the trip we were without mobile coverage or WiFi, so we could process what we'd just learnt,” says Ian, Josh's dad.

"Despite the circumstances, it was a special time. We reforged an even stronger closeness of father, mother and child cementing a camaraderie where we agreed that we 'had this', that we would 'beat this'."

Unfortunately, the long trips didn't end there. The Griffiths family live in Gosford, so his mum and dad were grateful to stay at our YouCan centre while Josh received treatment. Being so close together was an immense comfort to the whole family.

"As a close-knit family, this meant the world to us," recalls Ian. "The support services at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse removed an element of the stress and uncertainty we were feeling. Knowing we had the refuge of the YouCan centre meant we didn't need to think about finding accommodation and parking, not to mention traveling upwards of 3 hours each day. It was one less obstacle to navigate."

At Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, the generosity of our donors helps provide a range of holistic support services that help ease the burden of distance for regional patients, so they can access world-class, comprehensive cancer care.

Kim

For everyone facing cancer

Earlier this year, Kim Sherwin had a run-in with cancer. "I was one of the lucky ones who had the surgery at lightning speed after something was found at my regular screening," Kim says. "I had the badness successfully removed from my breast, then zapped the heck out of my boob with five weeks of radiotherapy." The impact of Kim's journey has been quite profound on her. "I'm incredibly grateful for the amazing care and support I've received from the remarkable team at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse," she says. "I wanted to give back."

Kim lives close to the Camperdown centre, and each day of her five week radiotherapy treatment, she'd make the 5km round trip with her partner on foot. "Being able to walk there was important to both my mental and physical health, and something I was determined to do, come rain or shine," Kim says. "We'd often comment on how fortunate we were to be able to walk to my treatment at such an amazing facility. I'd overhear others at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse talk about coming across town on a couple of buses or even from regional areas. It's a tough enough journey, nevermind having to contend with a daily commute, reliant on public transport and staying in a hotel, away from home and family."

Kim has pushed herself to Go The Distance this year by cycling to different libraries far and wide across Sydney, so far raising an incredible amount of donations for her many rides. "Cancer isn't going to beat itself," Kim says. "Only we can help beat it, and support those going through what is a very unsettling time, in a high-quality care facility."

Kim has joined Go The Distance for a second year in 2023, and this year she is swimming the equivalent of a marathon! That's 42.125km, which is phenomenal. We can't wait to see Kim swim towards her goal, while helping patients with cancer and their families.

Tim

For my daughter

This is Tim and nothing will stop him from Going The Distance for his daughter Erin. On Day 1 of the challenge, Tim was locked out of his garage and couldn’t get to his bike due to a power outage. So, he crawled underneath the house, through cobwebs and dirt, and lifted himself up through the floorboards into the garage. Tim cycled 103km on Day 1.

“I thought about all of the setbacks that patients have and how they resolve to keep going, and I thought I can’t let a little power outage stop me,” he said.

His daughter Erin, 28, was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. She has since had surgery and will start Chemotherapy this month. Both dad and daughter are on their own journey this August but together the whole way!

Kai

For better access to cancer care

Kai was a fit and ambitious young man, living overseas and thriving in his career, producing multi-day music festivals for thousands of people.

Just days before his 26th birthday, a routine run left him feeling unwell. What began as a chest X-ray quickly led to a CT scan, revealing a 15cm tumour in his chest.

In his first year of treatment, Kai underwent chemotherapy for testicular cancer (nonseminoma). Although the treatment was initially successful, the cancer returned just months later and transformed into rhabdomyosarcoma. His second year brought further chemotherapy and major surgery to remove the tumour.

Today, Kai has recovered and is back to living life to the fullest in Bali. Grateful for the care that helped him through his cancer experience, he continues to take part in Go The Distance each year, determined to give back and help others facing cancer.