Normanville men John Clements and John Shanahan took part in the 70-kilometre The JLF Trek to raise money for the fight against bowel cancer.
The JLF Trek supports the Jodi Lee Foundation, which was established in honour of Jodi Lee, who lost her battle with bowel cancer days before her 42nd birthday.
The foundation’s mission is to empower people to take active steps to prevent bowel cancer and live healthy lives.
This is done through a number of national initiatives that encourage Australians to screen regularly, know their family history, act quickly on symptoms, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
They run events and awareness campaigns to educate people about Bowel Cancer prevention and the importance of early detection.
One of the awareness events is the annual JLF Trek which has been held in various locations around South Australia and Victoria over the last 13 years.
On Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17 the two Johns, as part of a team called the Johnnie Walkers, took part in the trek from Parawa to Victor Harbor to Myponga.
Day one took over 160 participants from Parawa to Victor Harbor and day two saw 238 people trek from Victor Harbor to Myponga.
Mr Clements said the trek was hard work, good fun, very emotional at times, quite challenging, but enjoyable.
“It was also heart warming to meet people involved with the foundation and walk with a variety of different people over the trek and especially, to hear their stories and reasons for being involved,” he said.
It was Mr Clements’ 16th time completing the trek, while the pair’s “support people”, Louise Clements and Fiona Shanahan, helped with event logistics, feeding and watering the walkers at aid stations along the way.
The Johnnie Walkers raised over $7000 in the lead up to this trek and the trekkers raised around $170,000 over the duration – funds that will be valuable in the foundation’s endeavours to raise awareness and fund bowel cancer awareness programs.
The Johnnie Walkers thanked the local people, the Yankalilla and Districts Lions Club, and Caffe Bungala, who donated to the worthwhile cause.
For more information about the Jodi Lee Foundation, visit www.jodileefoundation.org.au or contact John Clements.
