79-year-old cancer survivor preparing for his 18th City2Surf

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Port Macquarie’s Warren Turner is a 79-year-old cancer survivor, and he’s preparing to take part in the City2Surf for the 18th time this weekend - raising money for research charity Cure Cancer.

Transcript

00:00It's a sunny mid-winter morning and the perfect time for Warren Turner and his wife Colleen

00:09to boost their daily step count.

00:11They're preparing to tackle next weekend's 14km city to surf in Sydney.

00:17Warren has done 18 city to surfs before, but this one is something of a comeback after

00:23a series of health scares.

00:26I became rather ill with a heart attack and then I was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and

00:35that's taken a few years to get over.

00:38The couple will join thousands of other participants in this year's city to surf.

00:43The annual Fun Run event raises money for charities and Warren and Colleen are raising

00:48money for Cure Cancer.

00:50Warren says he owes his life to treatment breakthroughs.

00:54He remembers the day his doctor told him he had melanoma, which had metastasised throughout

01:00his body.

01:01But he said with the condition that you're in and the amount that has spread already,

01:07he said the best I could normally offer you was six months.

01:11Warren received immunotherapy using two new drugs which had recently gained Australian

01:16government approval.

01:18Remarkably, he's now cancer free.

01:21It was a rough journey but I had Colleen beside me all the time and all the mates from the

01:25Palm Court Men's Cross Club, they were wonderful.

01:28It's just amazing to think he was given six months to live and if he didn't go on the

01:32immunotherapy, but he did and it worked for him.

01:37At the age of 78, it will be Colleen's first city to surf.

01:42She lost her sister to cancer earlier this year.

01:45I think it gave me more impetus to do it and I tell her every day, this is for you darling.

01:51So far, the couple has raised just over $3,000 with strong support from their local community.

01:59Both feeling ready for their city to surf challenge.

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