JESSELYNN Tanner has seen enough children fighting for their lives.
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Last year her niece Charlie was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Charlie, then aged three, underwent surgery to have the tumour removed.
“They removed as much as they could, she’s fine now,” Ms Tanner said.
But hardship struck again, this time with the daughter of a family friend who was diagnosed with brain cancer.
Both cases inspired the 22-year-old fashion graduate to take up a volunteer position with the Starlight Foundation in Melbourne.
“The more kids I saw with cancer, the more it just got me thinking that I could do something else,” Ms Tanner said.
“I had already chopped my 40cm ponytail off (for a fund-raiser) and I thought what can I do next?”
Today she’ll start a massive three-day hike across the south-west to raise funds for Cure Brain Cancer.
“I’m starting in Geelong at 6.30am and walking to Colac, which will take around 15 hours,” she said.
From there it’s a 13-hour hike to Terang and a nine-hour walk the following day to Warrnambool, where she’ll arrive at the corner of Liebig Street and Raglan Parade — hopefully at 2pm.
“I walk every day. I think it’s around 187km (in total),” she said.
Originally from Warrnambool, Ms Tanner said the Geelong trip was a journey she knows better by train.
Despite the three-day endurance test her celebration plans are humble: “I’ll probably just take a really long bath!”
Donations can be at www.curebraincancer.org.au/my-fundraising/2371/clearthebrain