Lisa Gleeson

A fab stop at Barangaroo for what was to be my final Daff Dip of the season. Riding the wake of some passing ferries was a hoot with views of Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge thrown in for good measure. Those facing Cancer in the future are being thrown a life-ring by Cancer Council research and I'm so chuffed to have been a part of it again this year. 

Pool dipping is not my favourite winter pastime but with a Sydney rooftop and a sunset on Daffodils Day, there’s no excuse. Freezing! But seeing locals carrying bunches of Daffodils home after they’d finished work filled me with warmth.

Day 6 of Cape to Cape offered superb weather and spectacular scenery for this bunch of Dills. We also had our Sydney friend Jen dipping alongside us. I haven’t admit, it wasn’t so difficult today, but I’m thinking it still counts 🌼💦

I’m hiking the Cape to Cape track, (southern WA coast) this week. It’s a brilliant 130km journey of gorgeous coastal scenery with varying ecosystems and terrain. Hiking is obviously challenging at times, particularly when micro hail is being pelted at your face in ferocious winds, but it is nothing compared to losing a loved one to cancer, or being the one who is fighting for their life. So, I’ve brought my Daff Cap along for the ride and I’m hoping to Dip in some of the cold southern waters🌼 because…I’m a Daff-o-dill for my loved ones x

I always dip with loved ones on my heart. Some of them are victors, some are fighters still and some are no longer with us. Today I dipped for TJ, a wonderful  man who left his precious Sarah, beautiful kids and grandkids way too soon due to the devastating disease, stomach cancer. With donors like Sarah supporting scientists in the field, I feel we can all play a part in making the future of Cancer a diminishing threat. I'll do it with cold water and a tutu. The theme song playing was his favourite, the very appropriate 'Comfortably Numb' by Pink Floyd 

Clear skies and sunshine did not assist one bit with this dip. It wasn't the dip so much, it was the laps. All that icy cold water rushing past my face made my cheeks SCREAM! but, people experiencing cancer and it's treatment, have to push on through so much more than this. So I took icy as spicy and carried on. Thank you to all the supporters of this fundraiser, especially mine, who get us Daff-o-dills out there. 

I find plunging into still water more challenging physically and mentally than plunging into the salty ocean. Today’s dip into my friend’s pool felt so cold and I didn’t stay in for long 🥶 but it was worth it. My friend also had a hot spa on offer so my discomfort was quite  short lived. 

My hubby and I try to dip throughout the year, so getting into cold water is no major thing for us. But yesterday was a turning of the tide. My quiet, somewhat  reclusive man found himself double dipping with me on an unusually crowded beach in a Daff Cap! I was so proud of his fearless good humour, not caring about the sneaky photo a sunbather took. Perhaps clocking over an extra year yesterday 🎈 meant he was more conscious about living life out loud than he was worried about being embarrassed. Either way, it was a great memory we’ve made together and I’m grateful for his enthusiasm towards being a Daff-o-Dill beside me. 

A mini trip to NSW in June saw me dipping with some of my dearest lifelong friends...ok, well only one of them actually plunged beside me! But they spurred me on in dress ups and craziness so that definitely counts.