I love the saying “Life is not a dress rehearsal”.  My father must have said this to me as a kid at least once a week (or so it felt).  I’d usually do the ‘eye roll’ as most young kids would and say “Dad, you say that all the time”.  He said it because he wanted to continue to remind me to live life to the fullest because you can’t always predict whats around the corner.  This hit home when my Dad’s sister died of breast cancer at 49.

I’ve embraced this sentiment throughout my adult life and its funny as you get older, you do get greater perspective on things. Life becomes more real and you are not bullet proof. And, if you are going to live life to the fullest which all of us in our hearts want to do, you have to look after yourself and others.  The stakes for me got even higher with the arrival of my two boys during the last 4 years.

By the time most people hit 40, they will have known someone or in some cases personally experienced cancer.  It’s one of life’s nasty surprises and life becomes very real.  My cousin is currently dealing with a brain tumour and a best girlfriend is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.  They are both very young and have bright futures as well as children dependent on them.  Cancer is indiscriminate and ruthless and we have to stop it.  This means both dealing with it and also preventing it.

Tour de Cure’s values and goals really resonate with me and its an opportunity to live life to the fullest whilst helping the cause.  I’m very proud to be part of this year’s journey from Adelaide to Canberra.  Its a crucial message we are sharing young children across the country.  In some ways we are saying “Life is not a dress rehearsal” (funny that).

 

 

Leave a message for me:

If you want you can even spread the word and post it on facebook.