Sharon Jervis knows every day has its hurdles and some days are harder than others, but this has not stopped her from signing up for a fourth year to do Camp Quality’s Big Walk for Little Kids.
“In the previous three years I have walked a total of 507 kilometres and raised $2470, the kilometres are logged through Fitbit and then uploaded to a site,” Sharon said.
“Every September is challenging as I unfortunately have many health issues. There is a lot of things I can’t do to help worthy causes like ride a bike, jump rope or dance, but I can walk, thankfully it doesn’t say how good you have to walk.”
Sharon was diagnosed with Ménière’s disease in 2015 and has a constant whooshing noise in her head.
“It affects everything, my balance, my hearing and my eyesight. The ground moves up at me sometimes when I am having a flare. I experience vertigo and drop attacks and should use my walker but find it embarrassing. I usually walk with a hand on something stable to help me walk straighter or try to balance to prevent people from staring at my wonky gait, but some stare anyway,” she said.
It has been nine years since Sharon lost her hearing which makes her feel like she has lived two different lives in one lifetime.
“I am thankful for the lessons I have learned but find it frustrating that the memories I hold so dear to me are the things that cause me pain by remembering what things were like before the illness,” she said.
“I am thankful that I got to travel and experience life before it happened because the experience would be so much different. I look at photos and they make me laugh and cry. Is it possible to feel extremely blessed and cursed at the same time?”
Sharon experiences chronic pain that is undiagnosed, but X-rays show two places in her spine that have spondylitis or fibromyalgia.
“When in extreme pain I feel ill and cannot keep any pain relief medication down, this can go on for over 48 hours. I have to ride the pain out with self massage, stretching and breathing exercises. Animals have been killed for less and so I am grateful I see another day.
“I started walking for Camp Quality because I liked the idea of trying to dull the ‘hospital effect’ of being sick in hospital. I know what that is like and it sucks the life out of you. This fundraiser gives families respite from the seriousness of what is happening and helps to make cherished memories.
“I have had many relatives die of cancer, including my dad. The pain and suffering that it causes should be substituted for happy memories.
“For this year’s walk I am going to incorporate picking up rubbish, which will hopefully motivate me. You can choose your kilometre goal and money goal. I have chosen 150kms and to raise $1260.”
The money raised goes to funding camp getaways for kids with cancer and their families, puppet play dates and hospital visits that will make a big difference to people that have experienced heartache.
To participate, you can sign up online.
“I have a fundraising page on the Camp Quality website that gives me access to different resources and as I advance, I receive achievement badges. I will have donation tins at Swan Reach Holiday Park reception, Bloody Good Coffee in Lakes Entrance and possibly 62 Degrees Café in Bairnsdale,” Sharon said.
“To donate online, you can go to the website and search my name and your donation will go straight to Camp Quality via electronic transfer. I will also have donation tins around places that I frequent including at Swan Reach Holiday Park until October 1. The money is deposited with a receipt and I donate the sum to my camp quality account referencing the local community.
“I am really wanting to smash it out of the park this year, I have to beat 183kms, it is going to be my mission,” Sharon said.
