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For many months now, I have been emailing back and forth to Richard Thompson the trek leader and a cancer sufferer in relation to their trek to raise A$200,000 for the Bloomhill Cancer Help Centre on the Sunshine Coast.
I have just received an email that sent shivers down my spine coz I have been there every step of the way with Richard. From him thoroughly checking out everything he should know about to prepare everyone for the trek, to the kind of backpacks they should buy and the shoes they should wear.
I would love to share with you, the heartwrenching email I received from his brother John. I am quite sure anyone reading this, like myself, will have goose bumps to know that Richard is not going to realise his dream of walking the Kokoda Trail.
quote:
Hi Gail
We've not corresponded before but I'm Richard's brother. Unfortunately Rich went into hospital last week and the tests have shown that his cancer has reappeared in a very aggressive form. He's had a round of chemo and has other treatment to follow up but the long and the short of it is that he's very ill and wont be walking the trail with us. He's finally accepted that and asked me to take over from him.Needless to say, this has become even more important now for Steve, Jeff, Ross and myself. This was Rich's dream and we'll realize it for him. He's was training with us a couple of weeks ago on some pretty difficult hills outside Brisbane and was really doing it tough. He told me today that in the back of his mind he thought his cancer was coming back but didn't want to admit it to himself. He asked me to give you his regards and said he'll write as soon as he gets out of hospital.
Rich has pretty much organized everything with you I think. All we need is details of the internal flights. We received the international schedule last week. Gail, would you send me those domestic flight details and anything else you think I should know or which you had been arranging with Rich. He's copied us on most of your emails to date I think. One thing we were wondering about was the type of meals we'll be having. Are you able to shed any light on that for us?
We've all been training pretty hard over the last few weeks and everyone's very excited to be doing this although we're bitterly disappointed that Rich won't be coming on the trail with us. Steve Ovett has been over in Europe commentating on the World Athletics Championships and says he's been training up and down the Eiffel Tower!!
Anyway, thanks for all of your help to date Gail and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Regards
John ThompsonPhotograph – Richard Thompson. You can find out more too by logging onto their website: http://www.bloomhill.com.au or better still, please log on and make a donation to help Richard at least realise one of his dreams to raise money for the centre that has helped so many families.
richard400.jpgYesterday at work, I was handed a cut out piece of a news item that the Courier Mail had run last Saturday about Richard as follows:
On trek for cancer by Glenis Green:
NO ONE…. knows better than the Sunshine Coast's Richard Thompson, below, how quickly life can turn pear-shaped.
Seven years ago, at the age of 38, he was the super-fit vice-president of a United States software development company, living a jetset life with his family in Singapore.
Then, one evening, after completing a regular 10km run, he felt sick and laid down. When he went to get up again, his backbone collapsed. Five days of tests showed that he was suffering from multiple myeloma, a cancer which destroys bone marrow and bones and usually affects the elderly.
According to doctors, Thompson's bones were so soft and birttle they were like honeycomb. Exerting just the smallest amount of pressure meant instant, excruciatingly painful breaks to his ribs, sternum and back.
He was told he only had two or three years left to live. His wife, Mani, described it as "our loss of innocence".
But fast forward through years of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and two stem cell transplants to today and Thompson not only is still very much alive, he also is in training for one of the world's most arduous treks – walking the Kokoda Track.
Amazingly his cancer is not even in remission, just what the doctors call a "stable plateau". Thompson credits his survival and upbeat outlook to always having a challenge.
After his first stem cell transplant in 1997, the goal was to climb Uluru with his wife and their three children, now aged 13, 12 and 10.
Then it was completing the Masters Triathlon.
And now, after his last stem cell transplant last November, Thompson's challenge is the 96 km of reliving history along Papua New Guinea's rugged Kokoda Track – raising funds for the Sunshine Coast's Bloomhill Cancer Help Centre at Buderim.
A fundraising dinner for the centre will be held at the Polo Club on September 11. Donations can be made on Bloomhill's website – http://www.bloomhill.com.au or to the centre at 58 Ballinger Road, Buderim. Qld. 4556 Australia.
unquote – Courier Mail – Saturday 30th August, 2003.
Editors Note: Please give generously as I know it means a lot to Richard Thompson, lets all help his DREAM COME TRUE!
Richard_2.jpgEditors Note: I have been so affected by this devasting news, that I made some phone calls and located which hospital Richard was in, and picked up the phone and called him.
What a truly wonderful man he is. Faced with what must be a huge worry whether he is going to beat the cancer that is destroying his body, his only worry was how Steve Ovett's knees where going to stand up to the Kokoda Trail.
Take care of him Gail, coz he is the one I am worried about.
Yes, Richard, we will indeed take care of Steve and beg anyone reading this to dig into their pockets and donate to his cause as he has a heart of gold.
I have told him the young Papua New Guinean journalist I have working for me has now taken up the challenge of wearing his t/shirt out on the trail and walking in his place.
Her name is Alison Anis, and she went out today and bought her boots. Malum Nalu a fellow journalist who trekked in May, plans on training her between now and when she takes to the trail. Alison has offered to write a diary of their trek to give to Richard so he too can feel he has realised his dream.
Tomorrow my son plans on driving up to Brisbane to give to Richard a book not long released; Kokoda, a History written by Stuart Hawthorne so that he too can read if he is well enough more history of the Kokoda Trail and feel he was part of the journey with his brother, Steve Ovett and other members of their team.
Alison is the young lady on the left in this picture:
Our_Team_600.jpgAlso in the photograph above, was the two artists Benjamin and Hanson who painted for us a canvas mural which is presently being used out on the Kokoda Trail.
Our five guys we entered in the FUN RUN came home first and took out the prize for the first team home. They were just so PROUD and I have found out yesterday back home in Kokoda it is BIG NEWS and they are the talk of the town.
First_Five_Home.jpgEXCELLENT NEWS – Refer below, message from Richard's brother John:
Hi Gail
Saw Rich last night . He was about to have his catheter taken out of his
chest so he could go home this morning!! His blood counts have improved a
great deal over the last couple of days. Just wonderful news. No doubt he'll
be bombarding you with emails again in the next day or so.regards
John
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