AN ADVOCATE for fundraising and putting up a hand to do something for others.
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Breaking down personal barriers to push the human body to limits for causes.
It's two sentences you would align with the Wimmera's Sam Anson and his latest efforts in fundraising are not going unnoticed.
To bring yourself to breaking point and to overcome the mental challenges of your body telling you to stop when it's at its limits, is something Mr Anson said he doesn't shy away from - and his cause for his next venture consisting of 24 hours of non-stop running is one close to his heart.
In 2021, Mr Anson swam 16km in the Wimmera River and in 2020 underwent a 213-kilometre journey running from Horsham to Portland as a personal challenge.
Mr Anson said while both achievements were personal goals, the Run for Kel was "next level".
Mr Anson's sister Kelly Anson has been diagnosed with incurable cancer called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the mesothelial cells which cover most internal organs.
Mr Anson said he developed a plan on how he could put his efforts into helping Ms Anson and raise some money to go towards treatment and to "tick items off the bucket list".
"When I was doing the fundraiser for Beyond Blue it was coming from pain but this one is coming from love," he said.
"I think love is the strongest energy you can get.
"Once you tap into that it's an unlimited amount that you can dive into. It's driven with the purpose of doing it for someone else. When you come from a place like that it's so powerful."
Mr Anson said Ms Anson was 10 years older than him and he always looked up to her as his big sister.
"When we were younger, she was probably the rebel out of my four sisters," he said.
"I would go around and see her on school holidays and she would buy me a few drinks. She was a bit of a rebel and our relationship was pretty strong.
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"I guess over the years because the way I was with my own personal circumstances I was a bit distant from all of my family, to be honest.
"When I turned a corner three to four years ago I started spending more time with my family and my sister and our relationship has taken off from there again."
Ms Anson, 41, started out with severe chest pain and was diagnosed with pneumonia in June 2021. After many hospital visits and test after test, Ms Anson was diagnosed with Mesothelioma. She was given the outcome of 12-18 months to live.
In a trying time for the close-knit family, Mr Anson said the family jumped into action in different ways to support Ms Anson, and her two children with one grandchild and another on the way.
"I've heard mixed stories about this type of cancer and timelines of progression in health," he said. "It's different for everyone so that's why we decided to jump into the fundraiser and not hold anything back."
Mr Anson said it had been a rollercoaster of treatment and diagnosis for Ms Anson - a ride the family has ridden with his sister each step.
"It seems like every time we get on top of something, something else pops up," he said. "For example when she was first diagnosed, she was in incredible pain and put on a pump but still couldn't manage the pain.
"She got onto some immunotherapy and that sort of eased the pain. We thought we were onto something there. Before immunotherapy, I thought the outcome didn't look good. She couldn't hold a conversation. She was drowsy and tired all the time - it's not something I would wish upon anyone to go through."
Mr Anson said Ms Anson's colour returned and so did her energy.
"We were elated," he said. "But, two days before Christmas something was wrong. My other sister called the doctor and said something isn't right. Kel had lost movement in her left hand. They found a brain tumour on the right side of her brain."
The tumour was removed at the start of January and the family were once again looking at starting back up the immunotherapy treatment.
"But now her lymph nodes are swelling up and she's in a lot of pain," he said. "So we're back trying to manage the pain. We're keeping positive - even though sometimes it feels like something is always trying to pull us down. We're strong, we'll get through it."
The fundraising day has been pencilled in for February 26, a day that means a lot to the Anson family.
"It's our Mum's birthday who passed away a few years ago," Mr said.
"We wanted to make it extra special so I decided to run for 24 hours - as many kilometres as I can to raise money.
"There will be a bake-off on the day as well both in Portland and Horsham. We'll be doing a virtual raffle as well on the day as people have donated some prizes. The goal is to raise $50,000 for her treatment and to tick off some bucket list items which aren't massive things. They're really achievable."
Mr Anson said he would also use his previous personal challenge, a run from Portland to Horsham, to spur him on through the 24 hours of exercise.
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"I have been thinking of that run and what goal I can set myself and I think I would like to hit 213km in the timeframe," he said.
Mr Anson said he uses exercise to raise money and to hold himself accountable for personal challenges he sets for himself.
"It's easy to blame other people for how we are and for example, it's easy to hide on the footy field if things are getting a bit tough," he said.
"I really want to isolate myself and be 100 per cent accountable for what happens I'm uncomfortable.
"Where does my mind go to when something doesn't go well or I'm in a bit of pain. Do I push through this? Or do I just stop? That's what this whole running thing is about - being so strong in the mind that nothing is ever going to stop me."
Mr Anson encouraged anyone who would like to donate to visit the social media page Run for Kel or search Run for Kel at gofundme.com.
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