1946 days ago

Melahomi Jandal Strutter raises $3000 to fight cancer

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

Cancer survivor Shane Callaghan has walked a harrowing 76.4 kilometres in jandals to raise funds for other cancer sufferers.

The self-described Melahomi Jandal Strutter said his feet were "pretty shot" after the trek but it was a small price to pay to help those suffering from cancer.

One pair of jandals melted into his feet and turned them black as he took on the annual Relay for Life fundraiser over two days.

"My right big toe blistered up badly to the point that I had to cut the side of it open to release the pressure," the 56-year-old said.

"I had a few blisters on my feet. But it's nothing compared to cancer so I don't care about it," he said.

The Te Atatu Peninsula resident raised nearly $3000 for the Cancer Society walking the Jack Lovelock track in Mt Roskill for nine hours and Albany's AUT Millenium Stadium for another gruelling nine hours.

During his weekend quest, he met a young athlete who had lost the lower part of her leg to cancer at 13 and was training for the Tokyo Paralympics next year.

She joined Callaghan for a few laps around the North Shore stadium.

"She was such an inspiration and I enjoyed talking to her," he said.

"I hope she gets to Tokyo and does well. "

Callaghan was diagnosed with critical stage four cancer in 2017 and was given 15 per cent or less of surviving.

"But I refused to give up, " he said.

"Now against the odds after my last scan I'm cancer free."

Callaghan said he thought good healthcare and a positive attitude had helped him to beat the disease.

"I do joke about cancer a lot, probably too much, but I do, " he said.

"For me, I can't feel down or anything because it affects my family.

"Even I might have been going through a couple of hard times but no-one ever knew because I just kept joking around."

Callaghan said he faces surgery on Tuesday to have his appendix and a hernia removed, possibly side effects of the disease.

The Melahomi Jandal Strutter said he was grateful to his wife, family and friends for their support during his cancer journey.

More messages from your neighbours
2 days ago

Poll: Should we ditch daylight saving? 🕰️

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

First introduced in New Zealand in 1927 with the passing of the Summer Time Act, it's what we know as 'Daylight Saving' and this year it ends on the first Sunday in April.

While we do get to sleep in this time around, some people would like to scrap the clock tinkering for good.

And why? Some evidence suggests the time changes are bad for our health as they mess with sleep patterns leading to short-term fatigue and affecting mood. Meanwhile the hour change is frustrating for farmers and a nightmare for getting the littlies to sleep. But what's your take?

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Should we ditch daylight saving? 🕰️
  • 41.2% Yes - get rid of the clock changes
    41.2% Complete
  • 57.2% No, I enjoy it
    57.2% Complete
  • 1.6% Other - I'll share below
    1.6% Complete
1468 votes
2 days ago

Poll: How important is the ability to book a doctor’s appointment online?

The Doctors

Hi Neighbours
Here at The Doctors we would love to hear how you prefer to book your doctor’s appointments. With busy schedules, different people find different methods easier.

For some, online booking is very convenient, you can make an appointment anytime without needing to wait on the phone. Others still prefer calling the clinic and speaking to a real person, especially if they have specific questions about their visit.

Your feedback helps us understand what works best for our patients and how we can improve access to care.
Find out more

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How important is the ability to book a doctor’s appointment online?
  • 40.7% I prefer booking online whenever possible
    40.7% Complete
  • 23.4% Online booking is helpful but not essential
    23.4% Complete
  • 32.3% I prefer calling the clinic
    32.3% Complete
  • 3.6% I didn’t know online booking was available
    3.6% Complete
555 votes
3 days ago

Don't overthink this riddle...

The Neighboury Riddler

I have a silver sole
but no feet,
I make my living by bringing the heat.
What am I?

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!

Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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