Richard and Sunnie Bull
In April 2021, Sunnie and Richard Bull’s lives were turned upside down. With two children aged 13 and 16, and Sunnie just shy of her 46th birthday, she found a hard lump in her breast. After doctor appointments, they heard the ‘C’ word nobody wants to hear - stage three triple negative breast cancer. On April 22 it all started with fortnightly trips up the freeway from Benalla to Albury for chemotherapy.
“We are so lucky to have this amazing centre in our area,” the Benalla couple said. “The staff are so kind and caring, and the doctors are brilliant. Without this, we would have to travel to Melbourne for treatment of this level.”
Friends of the Bulls asked if it was ok if they entered a team in the 2021 Sunshine Walk. Of course, they said yes. Sunnie was still having radiotherapy at the time, but completed the 5km course with daughter, Skylah, and other family and friends. A team of 15 including husband, Richard, and son, Charlie, completed the 20km walk. An initial target of $2000 was set, but through their fantastic local community, the team smashed it to raise almost $22,000.
“We as a family will be forever grateful and we are so proud to be Ambassadors to support this community event,” they said.
Mark Haley
“I was diagnosed in September 2018 with stage four unidentified primary throat cancer. Earlier that year I lost my best friend Gus to cancer and the struggle, emotions and loss were raw. As a father you're supposed to be fearless, strong, dependable and loving. Cancer, chemotherapy and radiation strips all that away, and you become weak, vulnerable and frightening to the ones that you love the most. The support and care from my partner Alison and family were amazing. But appreciating what my treatment and recovery put them through to this day still chokes me up.
“I may not be here today if it wasn't for my friend and work colleague, Susie Moar, who ‘encouraged’ me to see my GP, Dr Ian Cook, who immediately scheduled the tests needed to hand me over to ear, nose and throat surgeon, Dr Eliza Tweddle. It may have been these three people that got me where I needed to, but I will be forever grateful for wonderful, caring and quality people that supported and cared for me throughout my treatment. We are privileged in our region to have the amazing Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre and the team that work there.
"Signing up for my first Sunshine Walk (20km) was a simple way of contributing to the Trust Fund, and thanking the team and the cancer centre."
