Next week, Monty Summers will set off on a fundraising run from Brisbane to Longreach – but the 1200 kilometre trek will be a walk in the park compared to his two-year battle against leukaemia.
Mr Summers, who studies a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology)/ Bachelor of Human Movement Studies at The University of Queensland, is in remission from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, which struck him during his final year of school in 2006.
A devoted athlete who ran 13 times a week, he was diagnosed with the disease after collapsing at an athletics carnival in Tasmania.
Mr Summers said he initially underestimated how serious his diagnosis was.
“I honestly thought, when I first got told, that leukaemia was a really bad cold,” he said.
“My family broke down but I just said ‘bugger’.
“I had an athletics competition coming up and I asked the nurse where the nearest gym was – I got a pretty funny look.”
The reality of the treatment soon sank in as Mr Summers underwent chemotherapy at the Mater Hospital and a bone marrow transplant at the Royal Brisbane Hospital.
Despite the treatment, going from being a hyperactive 17-year-old to being made to lie in a bed all day was a transition that did not sit well with Mr Summers.
“The moment I could find a treadmill, I jumped on it,” he said.
“Lying down in bed for six months – you don’t do that to a kid. I had to move.
“I also strapped my arm with its tubes up in Glad Wrap and went for a surf.”
Since going into remission, Mr Summers has thrown himself into regaining his fitness and said his two-week fundraising run would be the easy part – amassing support for his chosen charities would be the real challenge.
He aims to raise $100,000 to be split equally between the Leukaemia Foundation and autism research foundation AEIOU, as a thank you to his oncologist, who has an autistic son.
“I want to combine what I enjoy doing, which is running, with helping people and giving back to those who gave to me,” Mr Summers said.
“I feel really obliged to help those who spent a lot of time helping me out. These people really didn’t leave my side.”
Mr Summers and his team of nine fellow runners and four support people will make the trek over 13 days, with the runners each pounding out 10km per day.
Ms Summers said his team was made up of friends and family members who had already helped him through his marathon battle against leukaemia.
“These are the people who have really stood by my side,” he said.
“They made sure I didn’t lose a smile and gave me a smack when I started to complain too much.”
For more information on Mr Summers and his run, visit www.citytolongreach.com.au.
Media: Tegan Taylor at UQ Communications (07 3365 2659)
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