Ridin 4 Mates
By Isabella Kidd
About the Event:
The event will kick off on the 13th September with a 650km bike ride from Tumut to Bulga, finishing on Sunday 18th September. A group of riders will make the trek on bikes, stopping in towns and raising funds and awareness for brain cancer research along the way.
On the final day, the group will ride from Denman to Bulga where a huge event is planned, celebrating the rider’s accomplishment and raising further funds. Anyone who purchases an event T-shirt is encouraged to wear it on the day. Details for this event are still being finalised but keep an eye on the Facebook group for updates. In the lead up, we have auctions, a fundraising page and the t-shirt sales, with all proceeds going to the Mark Hughes Foundation.
Inspiration for the Event – Our Story:
My Dad, Dale Harris, was diagnosed with brain cancer in early 2019. He had been suffering with severe debilitating headaches for about a month, was feeling quite tired all the time and had very little appetite. One day, the headache was that bad that Mum rushed him to hospital. Scans were done that day and they found the tumour. He was taken to John Hunter that night and then on to Lingard for the surgery two days later.
When he went through his surgery to remove the tumour, we had no idea what type it was or how bad it could be. A week after his surgery his specialist gave us the horrible news that it was Glioblastoma (GBM) – the more aggressive form of brain cancer.
After he went through surgery to remove the tumour, he had multiple courses of radiation, chemo, and clinical trials. It was so incredibly hard on him. By November, the oncologist told us things were looking good and from what they could see the tumour hadn’t returned.
We got through a great Christmas and New Years together and by mid-January Dad’s headaches and fatigue returned and we knew something wasn’t quite right. He went back for more scans in February and were told soon after his tumour had returned, larger and set deeper than the previous one and was more aggressive. Dad was admitted to hospital again and underwent another surgery to remove what they could of the tumour. Shortly after, he commenced chemo and radiation again and the travel to the Mater in Newcastle became a daily norm.
Unfortunately, this time the tumour continued to grow aggressively no matter what treatment we
attacked it with, and Dad continued to deteriorate in health. His memory was heavily effected and as the year went on, he was unable to walk, requiring a walker and an electric scooter.
Dad was admitted to hospital on his birthday in 2020 as he couldn’t get out of bed. This same week we were told that the tumour had spread to the other side of his brain, and he would have about a month to live.
Dad got to come home for a few weeks under palliative care but was re-admitted to hospital in very early October where he stayed in palliative care until he passed away on the 15th of October 2020, surrounded by our family.
Dad’s mate, Fordy, also passed away from brain cancer about 6 years earlier and so the event was created in honour of the two of them. If the event is successful, our hope is to make it a yearly fundraiser for MHF.
Dad was only 61 when he passed away. 61 years young, but 61 years to be proud of. My Dad was everyone’s mate. He was a truly an extraordinary man, though he acted like an ordinary one.
He helped anyone and everyone, but as a Dad he helped me be the person I am, and always instilled in us to be hard working and to be kind.
Throughout his cancer battle, he remained so positive and in our minds is the real definition of a warrior - strong, courageous, a hero. My hero.
