Jodi Merry

Childhood Cancer Foundation (CHOC)

Personal Message:

I entered the 2023, Comrades Ultra Marathon, with one silly, simple reason: "you only live once". I trained extensively; juggling work, studying and persuing other responsibilities, as all of those who sign up for this prestigious opportunity do. I took the good with the bad and ultimately knew in my heart, that no matter what happened, I was doing my best. The "race" was and is life changing. It is one of the most powerful, empowering, phenomenal experiences I wish everyone had the devine madness to endure. Every fibre of your existence becomes energized with the purest vibrations of loving support and it really embellishes the true meaning of feeling alive in such a condensed amount of time. I finished, and conquered what I thought would have been the most mountainous challenge I could have taken on for my year. I felt immortal, proud and ironically healthy. Shortly after, and whilst I was still on my whimsical, medal winning high, I was diagnosed with a very aggressive Papillary Thyroid Cancer. My whole world and life completely flipped and came to a halt. The Comrades Marathon seemed like a mere walk in the park in comparison to what I was truly faced with. However, little did I know, that every breath, every step, every painful moment of perserverence that I had faced in that Ultra Marathon, had been a premeditated mental preparation. It helped me prove to myself that anything is possible; when your body fails you it is your mind that takes you over that finish line in the end. Four months filled with tears, worry, anger, fear, surgery, needles, blood tests, hospital visits, Radioactive Iodine Therapy, isolation, frustration, hormonal fluctuations, a new found patience for myself and finally...finally acceptance(this is still a bit of a question mark). So here I sit, 4 months post therapy - I haven't fully processed and reflected on everything, contemplating whether entering such a massive event again is good for my mind and body, and whether I should rather take a break and allow myself to heal...Fully. But another part of me, possibly dormant before, has surfaced through this whole experience. It has gifted me with so many more reasons to enter than ever before. Urging me to enter for those who have gone through similar struggles, for those who are unfortunately going to go through something similar, and for those who are currently living it - sometimes all you need is a small sign that everything is going to be ok. You don't get to choose your real challenges, but with the right attitude, the right people in your life, and a bit of reason you can make something magnificent out of a really hopeless situation. Our lives and stories are like fingerprints, all different and unique in a multitude of ways but it is the tiny similarities, our struggles, our pure humility and moral humanity that connects us in the most beautiful and extraordinary, thread-like way. My story is mine, there is so much more depth, emotion and feeling to it than I could ever put into words, but I can only hope, that my synopsis helps someone, the way I would have needed behind that brave face. We can only try in life, when we try, we are doing more than most. "Most of us live our lives by accident—we live it as it happens. Fulfillment comes when we live our lives on purpose". I have so much more to accomplish in my life, so many more purposeful moments to create. So yes, I ran and completed the 2023, Comrades Ultra Marathon, with Cancer. In 2024, after a hefty self debate, I will be entering, as this marks the end of a chapter with Cancer, and the opening of a new chapter as a Cancer Survivor - dedicated to building myself up stronger, focusing on refining myself more than ever before. I will give myself the time that my past self would have ignored - and while I run for those who fight, I will also be sure to clear my path for other purposeful, beautiful life event's to full my wonderful story(I guess this comes with maturity and gained wisdom). It fills my heart with absolute pride to say that I will be running the 2024, Comrades Ultra Marathon for CHOC (Childhood Cancer Foundation). You will never be the same person who started, even if you have to take a step back. Sometimes those dark moments are needed to reveal the light. Find one reason to do something life changing, because there will always be a million reasons not to. After you have done it once, there will always be a million and 1 more reasons to do it again, just better than ever before.