It’s safe to say Nicole Lewis knows the Kialla Lakes walking tracks like the back of her hand.
After all, she has spent the month of September walking more than 90 km as part of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia’s (PCFA) The Long Run fundraiser.
A prostate cancer specialist nurse at Goulburn Valley Health, Ms Lewis has already surpassed the 72 km target set by the PCFA, and her own fundraising target of $500.
“With COVID-19 restrictions, we haven’t been able to get out into the community as we used to and raise awareness of prostate cancer through face-to-face events,” Ms Lewis said.
“Which is why I decided to take part in The Long Run last year and again this year, to help raise awareness and some funds for research into prostate cancer.”
While Ms Lewis had been clocking up the majority of her fundraising kilometres around the lakes at Kialla, she also invested in a cross trainer – although she admitted it had been tough to get time on it recently.
“The family has been using it a fair bit, so I have to fight them off it sometimes,” Ms Lewis said with a laugh.
“So it’s either that or dealing with the magpies who are starting to swoop around the lakes.”
Surpassing her fundraising goal, Ms Lewis said she was grateful to everyone who was able to contribute.
“The support has been fantastic and every donation helps men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and their families,” she said.
“It’s great to see people's generosity, especially during COVID-19 restrictions.”
The Long Run forms part of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, with the aim of encouraging men to have regular health checks with their GP and a discussion about getting a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test – a non-invasive blood test.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation recommends men with no family history of prostate cancer undergo testing every two years from age 50 to 69, depending on any symptoms.
Meanwhile men with a family history of prostate cancer who have a higher risk may start PSA testing earlier — every two years from age 40-45 to 69.
To contribute to Ms Lewis’ fundraising, visit thelongrun.org.au/fundraisers/nicolelewis
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