David was diagnosed with throat cancer which led to many hospital visits and nine tough weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. To keep his mind busy, he took on a project his late brother, Graham, had taught him when they were young – rebuilding a motorcycle. Everything came full circle when he saw an ad for the Variety Adventure Ride on his Facebook page, seeing the event as a great opportunity to ride the motorcycle he had spent time re-building during his chemotherapy – and assist kids in need.
From that ‘Team Broomie’ was born – acknowledging the incredible support David received from doctors, nurses, family, friends, his local community and even other patients over the course of his treatment. Donations started to roll in and before he knew it, he’d raised an incredible $17,000!
Despite his dedication and incredible fundraising efforts, David admits he almost didn’t go:
“I very nearly didn’t do it because I knew no one else on the ride. I asked a couple of mates, but unfortunately, they had other commitments. I was also concerned that because of my treatment I had lost a lot of condition, around 35kgs in weight and strength in my upper body.”
Any concerns David had quickly vanished once the ride began. The legendary Variety family was ready to welcome him.
“Within a day I had a message from another rider on FB saying he was looking forward to meeting me. The next day another entrant made the same comment. How nice that was! Now that I’ve finished the ride, I have more than 20 new friends from all around Australia that I can share photos, late night bar stories and jokes with.”
On the last day, after a minor incident, David once again experienced the incredible comradeship of the Adventure Riders.
“Two riders came to my aid and did not leave my side. I insisted they keep going but they wouldn’t have a bar of it. They waited until the paramedic and sweeps arrived and told them what had happened. These two riders were probably the fastest riders in the group and I’m sure they wanted to be out the front, but it was more important to them to look after me.”
After experiencing his first Adventure Ride, David discovered much more than just beautiful scenery, challenging tracks and heartwarming school visits – he now has a whole new group of mates. He confirms he’ll be back next year “with a vengeance,” and hopefully, a few more riders by his side.
NSW Charity Number 13396
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