Former Australian cricketer and Survivor star, Lee Carseldine, is back in training but not for a return to the pitch or another Survivor stint, instead he’s preparing to take on a mammoth 24-hour challenge in honour of his Mum and Dad.
Next weekend, Lee will attempt to walk 140 kilometres on sand from the top to the bottom of iconic K’gari Fraser Island to raise awareness of stroke. Adding to the difficulty, he’ll be wearing a 19 kilogram backpack to highlight that in Australia a first-time stroke occurs every 19 minutes.
Lee says the training has been physically and mentally tough.
“When I trained for cricket I trained in a team. This is very different, it’s a lonely training experience and it’s certainly a challenge getting the legs ready to walk on the soft sand.”
Raising awareness of stroke is a cause close to Lee’s heart. His Mum died from a stroke in 2019 and his dad survived a stroke in 2006.
“I’ve seen both extremes of stroke by losing a loved one and seeing a loved one live after stroke. Both my parents’ strokes have affected our family differently and it’s driven me to make change and raise awareness.”
Lee’s epic journey will kick start Stroke Foundation’s major fundraiser, Stride4Stroke, which encourages Australians to get active for the month of November to reduce their risk of having a stroke.
“I had no idea about stroke but I want others to know that it is serious and can be prevented. I hope by doing this challenge I can drive others to set their own challenge, get active and do something they love that encourages them to move.”
Stroke Foundation chief executive officer, Sharon McGowan, says Lee is setting a great example and is urging all Australians to make their moves count this November.
“Walking 140 kilometres is a huge effort and I commend Lee for his dedication and commitment to our cause. He’s risen to the challenge for Stride4Stroke and I encourage others to follow in his footsteps.”
Ms McGowan is encouraging Australians to get active, even if it’s just a small walk or bike ride every day. She reminded Australians that stroke can impact anyone of any age, at any time – and does so, every 19 minutes.
“Eighty per cent of strokes are preventable and taking steps to adopt a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk. This includes exercising regularly, eating a healthy well-balanced diet, quitting smoking and reducing intake of alcohol.
“By making these changes you reduce your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes which are all modifiable risk factors of stroke.”
Lee’s walk begins on Saturday 8 October and he’ll meet his Dad at the finish line on 9 October.
