Victorian police officer Kyle Gemmill is undertaking a massive task.
On Friday, November 3, he will begin his journey to run 441km in only seven days.
Starting in Nathalia on Friday morning, he will stop by Shepparton to run past the police station between 9 to 10am, where all available officers will be ready to cheer him on.
“I’m absolutely pumped,” Mr Gemmill said.
“Physically good, mentally good.”
Mr Gemmill will be running non-stop, only stopping to camp each night. Some of his stops include Wunghnu, Yarrawonga, Glenrowan, Euroa and Tallarook.
This massive challenge is all for a good cause: to raise funds for research into Ewing sarcoma.
On November 9, 2022, Mr Gemmill’s close friend and fellow officer Brendon Warburton, also known as KB, lost his battle with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer that occurs in the bones and soft tissue.
Mr Gemmill wanted to find a way to honour the memory of his friend.
“I wanted to replicate some of the pain he went through,” he said.
It was six and a half months from the time of KB’s diagnosis to his untimely death, so Mr Gemmill decided that to honour that, he would spend only six months training for his mammoth run.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.
The run isn’t without its challenges. During Mr Gemmill’s many years of service, he has been injured several times, having to undergo 15 surgeries on major joints, especially on his hips and knees.
In the lead-up to his run, Mr Gemmill has been raising funds for Ewing sarcoma research and Camp 4 Cancer, which he says has been “sensational”.
His goal is to reach $100,000, and having just hit over $80,000, he’s hopeful he’ll smash his target before his run starts.
“I’m quietly confident that we’ll reach it,” he said.
“We’ve got some major sponsors on board that will push it over $90,000.”
Mr Gemmill is also hosting two fundraising events alongside his run: a Sportsman’s Night on Thursday, November 2, in Nathalia before he starts his run and a Gala at Crown Casino on November 9 to celebrate finishing his massive effort.
“I wanted to recognise KB and the person he was,” Mr Gemmill said.
“That’s why I’m running, to raise awareness for a cancer with not much financial support and to acknowledge my mate KB.”
To find out more information on Run4KB, the events or where to donate, head to www.run4kb.com