I'm doing it for Judith!
Judith
and I met on a blind date in April 1954. Her aunt and a friend of mine set us
up and, as they say, the rest is history. We married on 12 May 1956 and spent
60 happy years together before noticing that something was wrong.
Judith and I were regular walkers, and being from Aldinga, we liked to spend
our mornings taking it all in, wandering around the nearby towns. It was back
in September 2015 upon returning from one of our favourites—the walk along The Esplanade—that we first knew something was wrong.
Judith was in severe abdominal pain, and we had to call an ambulance. She had
an ultrasound at the hospital, and seven days after evasive surgery, the
surgeon advised us it was Ovarian Cancer. He suggested chemo treatment begin as
soon as possible. Judith was 79 years of age.
Even during
chemo, we continued to walk together whenever she felt up to it. I remember
sometimes we would take the bus timetable with us, ready for 'Plan B'. I was
with her during every treatment and doctor’s appointments for 18 months, and I
liked to think that support helped her get through it.
Another
round of chemo was somewhat encouraging; there was some reduction, but her
final scan in February 2017 showed that the tumours were getting bigger. There
had been a 40 per cent increase in just five weeks. It all became too much for
her, one of the tumours penetrated the bowel, and she passed peacefully on 8
March 2017, 14 days after with our family celebrated her 82nd birthday
not knowing it would be our last.
I was
lost without her, so decided to honour her memory by recreating one of our
fondest pastimes—walking the 6km Shiraz Trail from Willunga to McLaren Vale.
Now, every February, the local community and I come together to complete the
walk as part of my fundraising for Judith’s Legacy. By doing it during
February, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, it is also a special way to celebrate
around the time of her birthday on 25 February. What first began as a
reflective walk has snowballed to much more—raffles, auctions, luncheons, car
boot sales. I’ve caught the fundraising bug, and it feels so great to be doing
it all with such a supportive community of people. With COVID having quite an
impact on my usual fundraising activities, I am up to my ears in raffle prizes,
and hoping to get back out into the community to sell raffle tickets once
again.
Ovarian
cancer rarely receives the attention or the media of other more common cancers.
But with almost no symptoms until it’s advanced, it’s often called 'the silent
killer'—we knew nothing about it until it was too late. My aim was
to raise awareness of this cancer, and to do my bit to raise some money.
I’m hoping you can support me do it for Judith and Do It For Cancer.
To find out more about what fundraising I’m up to, follow Judith’s Walk on
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/judithswalkwillunga/
Thank you to my Supporters
$30.02k
Judith's Legacy
$15k
Dean Rowe
$14k
Dean Rowe
$3k
Dept Of The Premier Cabinet
$2.01k
Judith's Legacy
$622.08
Kirsty Mcvey Photography
For Dean Rowe
$500
Savills Adelaide
Savills were very pleased to participate in Judith's Walk and to include this donation.
$490
Dean Rowe
$260
Abdrew Williams
$242.65
Mortgage Choice Noarlunga
$242.65
Mortgage Choice Noarlunga
Thank you Dean for all you do!
$225
Heather Bridle
$220
Fiona Glodigau
$140
Anonymous
$105.50
Lynda Caporaso
Dean you are one of the sweetest people I have ever seen, keep doing what you are doing. All my love xoxo
$104.40
Jan & David Munzberg
Keep up your incredible contribution Dean
$104
Deetermination Fitness
Keep on walking Dean! We love seeing you bright and early at Port Willunga
$104
Delys Finn
Good on you!!
$104
Dean Rowe
$100
Rebekha Sharkie Mp
Good work Dean
$100
Fiona Glodigau
$100
Sure Search Sa
Thanks to Helen Herd for encouraging us
$100
Carmella R
$100
Kathy Sigston
Hello Dean, This donation is for two beautiful people we were fortunate to have in our lives, who lost there battle with Ovarian Cancer.
$100
A & M Contracting Pty Ltd
Go Fiona, Naomi & Renae!! 🌟🌟🌟
$100
Kiki & Lili - Mick O'shea's
It was lovely meeting you at Mick O'Shea's today! Your story really touched our hearts. We'd love to join you on a walk someday. All the best!
$94.95
Deborah Pagsanjan
Happy 90th Birthday dear Dean. I admire the work you have put in to raising funds for research into Ovarian Cancer. I thank you for everything you have achieved to this end, this far. All the very best to you …. In memory of Judith. X
$83.20
Craig And Maricel
$70
Dean Rowe
Well done keep up your good work
$62.40
Jessica Rowe
$62.40
Chook
$52.75
Carlo Calvanese
Hi Dean, Thank you for your fundraising efforts for Ovarian Cancer.
$52.75
Property Finders Group
I met Dean at Aldinga shops this morning, what a lovely man. Great job!!
$52.75
Mikaela
$52.75
Jesse Walker
$52.20
Ness Walsh
$52.20
Grace Wotherspoon
Hi Dean, a couple of friends decided to do a donation this year instead of presents so chose Judith's legacy :) you are doing such a great job. Cheers, Grace.
$52
Steve Pratt
$52
Julie Van Lierop
Dear Dean Winnie and I enjoyed meeting you on our recent walk along the esplanade at Aldinga. We congratulate you on the wonderful work that you are doing on behalf of your beautiful wife, Judith. Take care, Julie & Winnie x
$52
Karen Wise
$52
Mark And Jo Rogers
Well done Dean, we need more people like you
$52
Madelyn Rowe
$52
Meredith
Thanks Dean, keep up the good work.
$52
Amelia
I walked by your stall at the McLaren Vale shops and didn’t have the time to stop- but I wanted to make sure I could still donate. You and your wife are a very inspiring duo- you continue to make a great team, no matter the distance between you.
$52
Steve Palmer
Keep up the good work Dean. I look forward to seeing you n the Esplanade again soon
$50
Rebekha Sharkie
$50
Carlo
Hi Dean, I will continuing supporting your fundraising.
$50
Chook Mccoy
$50
Steve Maguire
$50
Johnny & Mary Miller
$50
Anonymous
$50
Beryl
$50
Teresa Winchcomb
I am a Ovarian Cancer survivor myself, keep up the good work Dean.
$42.20
Debbie Mcshane
$41.60
Barbara Richardson
$26.38
Ruby
It is truly admirable what you are doing. Thank you.
$26.38
Dom Liddle
Hi Dean, I just saw on the news what happened. Sorry to hear this. It’s not much but I hope it helps!
$26.38
Angie Mitchell
$26.38
Ray D'alessandro
$26.38
Anonymous
$26.10
Peter Herd
$26.10
Heather Maguire
$26
Dawn Morrison
$26
Revsauto Mobile Servicing
Prayers for your beloved Judith.I know she is so happy looking down on you from up there🙏🏻🌈
$26
Jamie Gwiazda
$26
Claire Victory
Great work
$26
Megan K
$26
Karen & Aaron Morrison
A reminder you have given us before; QUOTE - 'You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make' - Dr Jane Goodall.
$26
Julie Sherrah
Dean you are an inspiration
$26
Ben Starling
$25
Anonymous
$25
Dave B
$21.10
Ruby
$21.10
Sally & Brenton Bowman
Amazing work Dean
$20.88
Denise Luker
Dear Dean, Congratulations on your amazing fundraising efforts and awareness around Ovarian Cancer. You are truly inspirational and Judith would be incredibly proud of you. I hope the Walk goes really well this year. Love Denise x x
$20.80
Dean Rowe
Hi Dean, happy to contribute to your cause.
$20
Anonymous
$20
Sarah Perrau
Happy to support you Dean
$20
Karen Drydale
$20
Stephen Maguire
$20
Brenda Calder
$20
Liz Collier
$10.40
Anonymous
$10
Chris Whitten
$10
Mary Margetts
$10
Deborah Rischin
$10
Tracy Schneider
$9.49
Kevin Ward
$5.20
Anonymous
You're a good man
$5
Harold Dean Rowe Rowe
$5
Ray D'alessandro
$2
Anonymous
$2
Hi this money has been raised by Judith's Legacy with the support of many people.