Armadale couple Michelle Chan and Nathanael Harrison are turning their daily kilometres into a mission of hope this March, as they take part in Cancer Council Australia’s 10th annual March Charge fitness fundraiser.
Although married, the pair are not competing on the same team.
Instead, Mrs Chan said they are each setting their own ambitious targets, hoping to run 1000 kilometres and raise $888 each by the end of the month.
For Mrs Chan, the challenge began with a simple message from across the country.
Her sister Agnes Chan, who lives in Sydney and works in medical research, encouraged her to join.
“I’ve seen the March Charge before, but I’ve never done it,” Mrs Chan said.
“My sister was messaging me and saying, ‘I really want to do this this year, would you like to join?’ I said, ‘Okay’.”
When Mrs Chan began setting up her fundraising profile, she asked her husband if he would consider sponsoring her.
Instead, he decided to lace up his running shoes as well.
“So now he’s joined and he’s also invited some of his friends to join as a team,” she said.
For Mr Harrison, the event carries deep personal significance.
Alongside seeing friends and family affected by cancer, he also faced his own diagnosis in 2013.
“Hearing that diagnosis was incredibly overwhelming (for him),” she said.
“The Cancer Council was a great support for him in providing resources and having someone to talk to, to help him navigate the life changes that come with surgery and chemotherapy treatments.
“He’s very excited to be doing the March Charge and helping with fundraising to get the word out about the important work they do.”
Mr Harrison said his message to others was simple: if something feels wrong, seek medical advice and advocate for yourself.
“When I talked to him about it, he really had to advocate that something was really wrong because he said the doctor thought it was just something else,” Mrs Chan said.
“Early prevention and catching cancer early is the key. It definitely saved his life.”
Beyond the physical challenge, Mrs Chan says her motivation is also rooted in the long-term value of medical research, a perspective shaped by her sister’s career.
“One thing I know is medical advances and research take a lot of time,” she said.
“If we don’t invest in medical research now, we won’t get the breakthroughs of the future.
“It’s a very long game. It’s not like, ‘Let’s do this today and we’ll have a cure tomorrow.’
“It’s years and years of hard work and breakthroughs later.”
This year marks a decade of impact for the March Charge, which encourages Australians to walk, run or move in any way that suits them throughout March, either solo or with friends and family.
“By taking part, you’ll be reducing your cancer risk, promoting physical activity, and helping raise vital funds for cancer research, prevention and support services,” Cancer Council said.
Donations can be made to Michelle Chan and Nathanael Harrison through their fundraising pages.
