A TERMINAL cancer diagnosis has not robbed lawn bowler Allan Kidd of his sense of humour.
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“This is my retirement present,” the Terang great-grandfather says wryly.
Kidd, 70, is keeping busy too – there’s Western District Bowls Division finals to look forward to and a trip across the Nullabor to plan.
His Terang Green teammates dedicated their final-round win to their long-time friend, who was diagnosed with esophagus cancer two years ago.
“They did, the buggers – I was having brekkie and I had to get my hanky out,” Kidd says of his emotions reading Monday’s edition of The Standard.
“It blew me away. It didn’t surprise me because they are a great bunch of guys and ladies.”
Kidd, who thanked teammate John Gherashe for the public gesture, is remaining positive despite the bleak prognosis.
“I had a big operation nearly two years ago now but it’s reared its ugly head again,” he says.
“It’s terminal – we just don’t know how long. It’s a bit of a bummer.
“We were just down at the cancer centre yesterday and they’re talking a year and a half, or thereabouts.”
Kidd has “been fighting with this most of the bowls season”.
But it’s the mateship which has helped him through a tough period, both personally and for wife Gwenda.
He will line up as a lead for Andrew Taylor in Terang Green’s cut-throat semi-final against reigning premier Warrnambool Gold at Dennington on Saturday.
“I load up with painkillers and away we go,” Kidd says.
“It’s been good and the club have been fantastic, they’ve been like a family.
“It’s not very often we get into the finals, the big clubs dominate, as you’re well aware. It means a lot for the club, it really does.
“I think we’ve only ever beaten them once or twice.
“We’ve got a slim chance this year.
“They’re probably not as dominant as they have been in years gone past.”
Kidd is undergoing treatment “to slow it down a bit and give me a bit more time”.
The longtime Terang resident, who has played bowls in the town for 25 years, credits the South West Regional Cancer Centre in Warrnambool for easing the burden on his family.
“All my treatment was in Geelong but now with the new centre in Warrnambool it’s bloody great, you haven’t got to travel,” Kidd says.
“I’ve just finished radiation and am just waiting on chemo now.
“That’s basically to just help kill the pain and make things last a bit longer.”
For now, it’s about lawn bowls and helping a small community club like Terang prove its mettle against the competition’s powerhouses.
Kidd would love to add a division one premiership to his division two flag.
“It’s probably been the best year I’ve had, it honestly has been. I don’t know why,” he says of his own form.
“I am very, very happy with the way I’ve played bowls this year.”
Then there’s a train trip to organise and “a couple of things on the bucket list” to tick off.
“It (the chemotherapy) is probably going to knock me around a little bit this time, so we’re probably going to have a little holiday first before we start that,” Kidd says.
“We’re going to hop on The Ghan and get up to Darwin and then across to the Kimberleys.
“We did have plans to do it in a caravan but that’s gone out the window now, so we’ll take the next option.”