By Kath Gannaway
AFTER enduring seven months of chemo, eight-year-old Oliver (Ollie) Carr is as happy as any kid to be racing around on two wheels with his sister Amelia.
Ollie, and kids like him, are the inspiration behind the Warburton Trail Triple Century which aims to have 100 bike riders, raising $100 to ride 100 kilometres to raise $10,000 for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
Ollie’s mum, Kylie grew up in the Upper Yarra and his grandmother Lynne Welsh knows first-hand the great job the Royal Children’s Hospital does.
On Saturday, 18 February, Lynne will be one of many volunteers supporting the second Triple Century event, and no doubt Ollie will be very much in her thoughts.
Oliver was diagnosed with a rare type of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in April last year and while he is now in remission on maintenance, Kylie said it has been a rough road for “the toughest boy I know”.
“He had a lot of tests and has had to have chemo treatment and there have been some rough times, including a couple of relapses,” she said.
Ollie’s ordeal plunged the whole family into a previously unknown world of oncologists, nurses, social workers, specialists, medical terms and treatments that were quite foreign to them, and of course, the uncertainty and pain that Ollie was going through.
“There are hundreds of different types of chemo treatments that children have, different for every diagnosis; we had no idea about all that,” Kylie said.
“We just can’t thank the Royal Children’s enough. The medical treatment, and the love and support has been amazing.
“When you can see where the money is going, being poured into helping the kids, making their life just a bit more comfortable, and getting the treatment they need, it’s an amazing place.”
Triple Century organiser, Norm Orr, said it was easy to be inspired by kids like Ollie.
“Throughout this tough time Ollie is hardly ever without a smile, and of course, he is only one of thousands of children given special treatment at the hospital annually,” he said.
He said it was the kids who provided the incentive last year for the 85 riders who raised over $9000, and who he is hoping will lift the number to 100-plus this year to raise the $10,000 target.
Registration and donations can be done via the warburtontriplecentury facebook.
Local people and businesses got behind the ride last year and are coming on board again with the first contribution of a night at the luxurious Deloraine Homestead pledged for a raffle draw for riders, volunteers and donors.
Riders, businesses and volunteers who want to be involved can go to the facebook page or phone Norm on 0408 592 504 for details.
