This August, I'll be taking on the Dip in August challenge by getting into the ocean every single day for 31 days to raise money for the Cancer Council.
This challenge is deeply personal to me.
On Christmas Day last year, my family lost my dad.
Just four weeks earlier, he had been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma that had spread to his liver.
Nothing prepares you for how quickly cancer can change your life. It doesn't just take the person you love, it changes your family forever. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about Dad, wish I could call him, or wish my boys had more time with their Parjay.
These past six months have been the hardest our family has ever faced, and we miss him more than words can describe. No family should have to experience the heartbreak of losing someone they love so suddenly.
If you knew Dad, you knew he was the life of the party. He had a way of bringing people together, making everyone laugh, all with a beer in hand. He lived life to the fullest, and his absence is felt every single day.
The freezing ocean each morning will be uncomfortable, but it's nothing compared to what Dad endured, or what thousands of Australians battling cancer face every single day.
If raising money can help fund life-saving research, provide support for families facing cancer today, and bring us one step closer to better treatments and a cure, then every cold dip will be worth it.
If you're able to donate, no matter how big or small, I'd be incredibly grateful. Every dollar truly makes a difference.
And if donating isn't possible, simply sharing this post would mean the world to me and my family.
Thank you for helping me honour my dad's memory and support a cause that affects far too many families.
This one's for you, Parjay. We love you, we miss you.
