The Great Australian Stroll: coast to coast for cancer research

19 December 2003

The Great Australian Stroller, Rod Horan, has arrived home in Wollongong after walking more than 4,500km across Australia to raise money for the David Morris Liver Cancer Research Fund.

Along the way, he documented his days in emails to his supporters and friends and painted a compelling picture of his experience on the road. Sore feet, long hills and the random kindness of strangers led him to become an open-road philosopher. He found that walking alone across Australia gives a person time to think; the endless space was occasionally overwhelming. "We all like to think that we're important," he emailed from Western Australia, "but we are just very small cogs in a very big machine."

He and co-walker Steve Truman left the Perth GPO on 1 July, but a knee injury saw Steve drop out soon afterwards. Pushing his trolley named Herbie, Rod was given free accommodation in country pubs, the odd meal, small donations, some oranges. All of it encouraged him to continue his fund-raising efforts for Professor David Morris, head of the department of surgery at St George Hospital, and professor of surgery at the University of New South Wales. Professor Morris was part of the celebrations at Port Kembla Surf Club last week to welcome Rod home.

Toward the end of his walk, Rod received news that a friend's father had just died from liver cancer. "What I'm doing in the 'gutsy stakes' pales into insignificance alongside the way these people with this bastard of an illness fight 'til there is nothing left," he wrote. "If people get something from what I'm doing, that's great, but I get a hell of a lot of strength from the courage of those that fight this insidious illness." He dedicated the rest of his walk to the memory of his friend's father. "Every step, every day, every night is in his honour... one day we will kill the beast."

The Great Australian Stroll has raised more than $35,000 for the David Morris Liver Cancer Research Fund. Donations may be sent to PO Box 5076, Wollongong NSW 2500.