“Angels in scrubs”: Cancer survivor's pledge to repay the nurses who saved his life
<p>Just six months after completing one of the most aggressive cancer treatment regimens his hospital had ever seen, Shane Whiteford is lacing up his running shoes – not to escape his past, but to honour those who carried him through it.</p>
<p>Diagnosed in December 2023 with a rare and dangerously situated Ewing Sarcoma in his neck, Shane’s year-long battle with cancer included major surgery, a gruelling 12 months of chemotherapy, and four relentless weeks of daily radiation.</p>
<p>Now in recovery, the devoted father of two, husband and son is taking on a different kind of challenge: running 200 kilometres in the month of June to raise funds – not for hospital equipment or research – but for the nurses he calls “angels in scrubs”!</p>
<p>“They help you understand the complexities of treatment, they talk you through each step,” Shane said. “And along the way, they become friends, therapists, a shoulder to cry on, and your rock to rely on.”</p>
<p>From chemo chairs to emotional breakdowns, the oncology nurses at <a href="https://www.calvarycare.org.au/hospitals/calvary-mater-newcastle/services-and-clinics-3/cancer-services-3/medical-oncology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Calvary Mater Newcastle’s Day Treatment Centre</a> were with Shane through it all. And now, he wants to give back.</p>
<p>“This fundraiser is for them,” Shane wrote on his <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/oncology-nurses-at-calvery-mater-newcastle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe page</a>. “Not the hospital, not the directors… but for my great support team.” The funds raised will go toward whatever the nursing team chooses – “something to make their workdays a little brighter.”</p>
<p>Running an average of six kilometres per day, Shane’s goal is part of his ongoing rehab – his return to physical fitness only beginning in February 2025 after months of debilitating treatment.</p>
<p>“I am now six months clear and have started to gain my ‘new’ normal life,” he shared. “This run is my way of saying thank you. I couldn't have done my journey without them.”</p>
<p>With every kilometre, Shane is not only rebuilding his strength but reminding the world of the quiet heroes in our hospitals. His battle cry?</p>
<p><em>“FU Cancer. I kicked your ass.”</em></p>
<p>And now, with every step, he’s lifting others up – one stride, one donation and one angel in scrubs at a time.</p>
<p><em>Image: GoFundMe</em></p>
