Cancer battles don’t end with remission
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET BEHIND THE LEUKAEMIA FOUNDATION AND SUPPORT THEM BY EITHER DONATING TO MYSELF OR ANYONE DOING A FUNDRAISER.
DANIEL
HARTLEY
WORLD’S Greatest Shave participant Daniel Hartley wants people to know suffering doesn’t magically end when cancer patients enter remission.
The 30-year-old was “one of the lucky ones” and became clear of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in December 2019, but the disease still takes its emotional, physical and financial toll.
“Since March last year I’ve been suffering from chronic graft versus host disease, which people can get after a stem cell transplant,” he said.
“The main impact has been severe muscle cramps getting in the way of everyday life. It’s really painful and goes for as long as it wants.”
Mr Hartley has quit carpentry, scuba diving and fishing due to losing muscle mass and being immunocompromised and now works at
Mitre 10. He says his main aim is to “get back in the water by summer next year”.
New figures reveal that blood cancers combined comprise the second-most diagnosed cancers and the second-most common cause of cancer-related deaths in Australia.
Blood cancers accounts for more than 40 per cent of childhood cancers and have seen a 30 per cent increase in prevalence in the past decade.
From March, Mr Hartley will fly to Melbourne two days a week for three to four months to receive GvHD treatment.
The Leukaemia Foundation will help fund his accommodation near the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
The charity reported a 30 per cent surge in demand and a 30 per cent drop in income in 2020 due to coronavirus.
Mr Hartley will participate in the 23rd annual World’s
Greatest Shave to give back to the foundation. He is encouraging people to get behind the Leukaemia Foundation and support it by “donating to myself or anyone doing a fundraiser”.
“We might not have to have this conversation in 20 years if we get behind their research,” he said.
To sign up or donate to the World’s Greatest Shave visit worldsgreatestshave.com