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The AAWT for Peter Mac

menu_book picture_as_pdf bookPeter Jessup Bushwalk Inspiration Australia Victoria New South Wales Alpine NP Kosciuszko NP
Issue_7_October_2014-18

I have many interests in my tumultuous life, but only two loves. The first is the love of my wife Amanda. The second is an absolute passion for bushwalking, for travelling through magnificent wilderness and enjoying moving with all I need on my back and a mysterious trail drawing me into the wild.

Guthega Pondage, looking along Blue Cow Creek

The Australian Alps Walking Track for Peter MacPeter Jessup

18 | BWA October 2014


My first love became ill 12 months ago. The day I learnt of her plight I was amongst 10,000 travellers inside the Sydney Airport departure hall. Surrounded by so many people, all rushing to board a Friday night flight home for the weekend, I felt so incredibly alone. I was in a queue as long as the Larapinta Trail when Amanda began to cry on the phone. I sought more information, and she reluctantly revealed the doctor’s test results. My head began to spin. I pushed to the head of the queue and demanded the next flight home. The Qantas staffer saw my desperation and I was on a flight in 10 minutes. Thank you, Qantas.

Cancer is like most serious illnesses. We all know people who have fought and in many cases, beaten this serious disease, but despite the number of friends and acquaintances afflicted, we still think it will never happen to us. Well, this busy but rather nondescript Friday night, cancer entered our lives.

The time from initial diagnosis to the mastectomy was only a matter of days. Amanda was so positive, giving me two thumbs up, as she was led into surgery. The operation confirmed immediate surgery had been critical, as the cancer had progressed at an alarming rate, into her lymph nodes. However, the procedure was successful, as the skilled surgeons were able to remove all abnormal tissue.

The last 12 months have been a roller coaster of emotions, with Amanda in and out of hospital for most of that time. This included three months of chemotherapy, four weeks of daily radiation therapy and a ridiculous regimen of injections, pills and visits from the field nurses. Add to this two cases of staph infections and some serious post radiotherapy side effects... well, it has been a very tough year for both of us.

For most of the year I have been the primary carer, chef, nutritionist, driver, nurse, breadwinner, psychologist, cleaner, husband and friend. Despite all these roles, I have felt quite helpless. I have seen the incredible care and support given by the staff in the hospital and am now going to give something back to the doctors, nurses and other staff who looked after Amanda so well.

The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is Australia’s only public hospital solely dedicated to cancer treatment, research and education. Peter Mac is in East Melbourne and will soon be moving to Parkville. Staff dedication to their cause is amazing. These are the people who every day battle this insidious disease, for a potential cure. They looked after Amanda and have helped her through her ordeal, to a point where she is, so far, cancer free with a positive prognosis.

So in November this year I plan to walk the full length of the Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT). I am walking this iconic trail not just for another tick on the bucket list, but to raise $20,000 for cancer research and show my support and gratitude for the people at Peter Mac. I plan to complete this walk in 34 days, solo and unsupported, except for five food drops placed a few weeks prior.

The AAWT is by no means an easy walk. Utilising a combination of dirt roads, fire trails, 4WD tracks, single track and

Walking 680 kilometres for cancer research

BWA October 2014 | 19


wilderness footpads, it spans approximately 680 kilometres from Tharwa in the ACT to Walhalla in Victoria. The total ascent is over 20,000 metres, which equates to climbing and descending Mt Everest twice.

A handful of people walk this track in its entirety each season. A few may do it solo. However, I’m walking to fight cancer, to hopefully raise money to cure this insidious disease.

For more information please go to thealpstrackforpetermac.com.On this site, you will find links to my donation portal, a blog of my preparation, and once I start the walk, a location feed updated every 30 minutes via a spot beacon. There is also a Facebook page link, to follow me on social

media. Any donation is appreciated, no matter how small. All donations over are tax deductable and a receipt for your donation will be emailed to you. Even a Facebook like shows me the people who are behind me on this endeavour.

This walk may be tough. There may be times I want to turn around, to find the nearest bus, pub or warm bed. I then think back to what Amanda has endured over the past 12 months and any hardship, pain or discomfort I feel during this walk will be nothing compared to my wife’s ordeal. And by the end of the walk, I hope to be able to present a cheque for $20,000, to the wonderful people at Peter Mac, to hopefully find a vaccine, a cure or maybe a breakthrough to this all consuming disease.

Mt Kosciuszko path

20 | BWA October 2014