ED’S Big, Big, Big Walk for Little Kids recently made its way through the region as part of the 2740km trek from Brisbane to Melbourne.
Army officer Major Edward Orszulak and ACT Fire Rescue senior firefighter Sebastian Boehm began their journey two months ago, departing Brisbane on July 23 with 70 days of walking ahead.
Raising money for Camp Quality, Ed and Seb have a combined 35 years of volunteering experience with the charity, which looks to bring laughter and light to kids with cancer.
“A really good friend of mine rang me one day and said, ‘hey, we’re short on volunteers, you’d be really good at this’,” Ed said.
“I had a lot of spare time on my hands, so I thought, ‘I’ll give it a go’.
“That was 12 and a half years ago, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
“Working with these kids and helping them have a good time, makes you realise that all the things we worry about in our day-to-day lives pale into insignificance when you think about what they go through.”
Seb has been involved with Camp Quality for over two decades, inspired by a good friend who had childhood cancer.
“It wasn't until I got into my 20s that I thought I’d be emotionally able to handle going and helping someone like him,” he said.
“I started 25 years ago, volunteering, and we met 12 years ago on (Ed’s) very first camp, and ever since then we’ve been thick as thieves.”
‘ED’S’ represents Ed, David Finney and Seb, Camp Quality volunteers who wanted to do something big for the charity.
Dave and Seb had the idea to do a big walk from Sydney to Melbourne, inviting Ed, who suggested they make it even bigger and start in Brisbane.
In 2017, Dave was medically discharged from the Royal Australian Navy with post-traumatic stress disorder, tragically succumbing to the illness in 2019.
After taking time to regroup, nurse some injuries and get through COVID-19, Ed and Seb decided to begin their big walk, bringing a piece of Dave with them each day.
“We’ve both got photos and some things that we carry every step of the way,” Seb said.
“He’s with us.”
Each day, the pair set off on their 40 to 50km trek, and arrived at Elmore on September 23 having covered 2594km with only one week to go.
From whale-spotting at Kiama to making snow angels in Perisher and traversing Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains, there have been plenty of memories made over the past two months.
On the way, Ed and Seb have come across many stories of how childhood cancer impacts kids and families, along with Camp Quality’s role in this.
During the difficult moments on the route, they draw on these experiences.
“You’ve got to dig deep,” Ed said.
“Some of the families we meet, the stories they tell us.”
“(It’s) humbling, 100 per cent,” Seb said.
Ed and Seb credit the crew who support them each day on their big walk, preparing meals, providing medical and physio advice, running their social media and driving alongside them.
“We’ve needed all of them to get where we are,” Ed said.
“We’re just the guys in the middle of the bubble, and they provide everything else around us.”
Their donations page and social events post-walk are the key fundraisers for the cause.
While monetary donations are critical to support Camp Quality, the pair are also happy to see awareness for the charity grow through their efforts.
“I love the fact that Ed and I, and our support crew, can influence people like that,” Seb said.
“Obviously, we’re trying to raise a lot of money, too, but if we can get the word out there so if kids get cancer — especially in rural regions — they know that there’s that support for them.”
Ed and Seb passed through Shepparton on the weekend of September 21 and 22, taking a rest and seeing some of the sites in town.
On September 30, they reached the finish line, making it to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, marking the end to their 70-day journey, and raising over $100,000.
To support Ed and Seb and donate to Camp Quality, head to their fundraising page.