The People: Meadow Flat

Jan drove ahead of me four or five kilometres at a time and then parked against the oncoming traffic so drivers knew to keep a lookout for me. On one trip she came across Meadow Flat P.S. and decided to head in and introduce herself. I was coming through at about lunch time so the Principal, Michael Wood, and the staff brought all the students out to say hello. I got to meet all of them and shake their hands as I passed. I had completed quite a few hours of my second day by this time and being welcomed by the thirty-five students and speaking with them put a spring in my step. The support of the school at such short notice was greatly appreciated.

The People: Harold Ford

Harold is also a member of the organising committee of the Bathurst Relay but his work for the Cancer Council does not stop there. Harold who is in his seventies kept up as we strode out from Bathurst P.S. He told me of the loss of his sister to cancer before she was thirty. At an age when most people are taking life a little easier, Harold collects boots from wherever he can and delivers them to Bathurst Gaol where the prisoners paint them in bright colours and drill holes in the soles. Harold then fills them with soil and plants daffodils that bloom just in time for Daffodil Day. He then organises the sale of his unique mementoes for the Cancer Council. It would take a very mean spirit not to admire the commitment that Harold shows to helping others.

The People: Graeme Hanger, Kylie Holford and Helen Jones

Graeme is a teacher at Kelso High and a councillor on the local council. I first heard of Graeme several years ago when Kelso High was destroyed by fire. Graeme takes his students each year to big events in Sydney and he managed to get a lot of media coverage about his initiative and about his school and the students of Kelso High.

I was not surprised to find that he was happy to lend his support to my walk. It was great to meet him and he joined several others in keeping me company for the first five kilometres of the trip to Lithgow. Graeme's commitment to his community was obvious from his conversation on our walk.

Kylie and Helen are members of the Relay for Life committee in Bathurst. They have a very successful Relay and obviously put in a great deal of work. Andrew Penman was full of praise for Kylie's work as Chair and the work of the committee. It was wonderful to spend the first hour of the day's walk getting to know such generous and committed people.

The People: Kate White and the students of Bathurst P.S.

The start at Bathurst was different to Orange. The student leadership team turned out in the cold with their parents and a number of staff. Kate White, the principal, was as jovial and welcoming on Wednesday morning as she was when we first met her two days before and when I asked for her help with the walk. Bathurst held their "Australia's Biggest Morning Tea" on the same day and the students came in mufti. Again I found myself in a community that saw helping others as an important part of their culture. Obviously it is very much part of the culture of public schools. If it was going to be hard for me to face the 64 kilometres to Lithgow, meeting the people of Orange P.S. certainly lifted my spirits.

The People: John Webb and the students of Orange P.S.

When I first wrote to principals in western NSW looking for starting points for each day's walk, John Webb was the first to get back to me and offer support. I was surprised and highly motivated by the number of staff, students and parents who turned out on a chilly morning to see us off. Many of their Relay for Life team turned up in their unique orange shirts. I felt very much at home in a community that was as supportive as my own school community.

The supportive nature of the school is a credit to those who attend the school and to John as the principal. It was certainly motivating to begin at a school where the fight against cancer motivated so many in its community.

The People: Jan and John

John Carpenter and Jan Savage made me feel quite inadequate when I heard about the wonderful work they are doing.

When you are diagnosed with cancer the oncologist (cancer specialist) details the different treatments s/he can provide and the likely outcomes and side-effects of the treatment. These can be wide ranging, depending on your cancer. One of the problems for cancer sufferers in remote areas is that one of the things they must consider is travelling long distances for treatment. As treatment is intensive, this can mean trips of hundreds of kilometres every week or even every day. When you are having treatment, you cannot do this travel alone. The alternative is expensive accommodation near the treatment centre. Either of these can be beyond the capacity of people to pay.

John and Jan and a small group (including Neil) saw that this was preventing people receiving treatment that can be life-saving. They determined to build accommodation at the new Orange Base Hospital that was affordable and could accommodate cancer patients and their families. They have made a wonderful start to raising the money that is necessary and are relentless in their pursuit of more (people half way to Bathurst knew about their fundraising efforts).

The dedication of this Care West Committee will save lives.

John and Jan came to Orange Public School to see us off on the first day. We were humbled by their commitment and support for our project.

The photo is Jan (left) and John (right) with Jackie from the Orange office of the Cancer Council.

The People: Sue and Neil

We arrived in Orange on Monday night. Jan had written to a number of different places providing accommodation and Sue and Neil from The Cleveland B&B were very quick to offer us an overnight stay in their home. It was late at night before we met them and we had a very comfortable stay in a large bedroom with an ensuite. In the morning Sue insisted on cooking us breakfast. With over fifty kilometres ahead of us that day we didn't say no!

Sue and Neil's home is covered in art works by local artists. Mainly landscapes, they include some very high quality works. We saw a couple of Neil's paintings, he has an interest in painting and in digital photography where he is able to do things with technology that are beyond my skills. Sue cooked a delicious breakfast with the widest range of home-cooked jams you could imagine.

Both Neil and Sue were wonderful hosts. They neglected to mention to us that Neil was very involved with the Care West project for cancer patients from remote rural communities (see the next piece on John and Jan). So many people work quietly without ever seeking recognition for their work. Sue and Neil quite obviously fit this category. It was a privilege to make their acquaintance and we hope that we will be able to attend the opening of the Care West facility so we can catch up with them again and thank them properly for their generosity.