By CASEY NEILL
JASMIN Franes won’t let fatigue from her Hodgkin lymphoma battle slow her down.
The Keysborough 20-year-old will tackle more than 7300 steps in the Stadium Stomp MCG event on Sunday 6 July to support other blood cancer sufferers.
Jasmin and her team the Violet Stompers, named for the Hodgkin lymphoma awareness ribbon, will traverse the top and bottom seating levels at the MCG to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation.
“Last year in March I was diagnosed.
“In August I completed all my treatment and was declared in remission,” she said.
“They were constantly sending support group information, they called me just to check in.
“I had a lot of support from my family and friends, but it was just good knowing they were there.”
Jasmin went to the doctor with enlarged lymph nodes, and biopsies confirmed her worst fears. She completed three cycles of chemotherapy.
“Sitting for four hours while they put lots of drugs to try and kill all the bad cells… ” she said.
“I got very bad nausea. I was pretty much in hospital for the majority of the time of treatment.”
Two weeks of less-severe radiation therapy followed.
“I could start to return to doing some normal activities,” she said.
“Once that was done it was over. I started regaining my strength.
“One of the main things that really affected me after treatment was fatigue.
“I got a gym membership and decided the only way to combat the fatigue was to get active.”
Jasmin has since completed the Colour Run and Tough Mudder, with fundraising support from friends, family and workplace Keysborough McDonald’s.
“Before all this I was pretty unfit. The first time I actually ran was after my treatment,” she said.
“Sometimes it takes something horrible to put things in perspective.
“This was another great opportunity to work on my fitness and to do something for the Leukaemia Foundation.”
The Stadium Stomp MCG half course is a complete circuit of the stadium’s Level 1 seating bowl, walking up or down every flight of stairs between the seats – about 1890 steps.
The full course then takes entrants up to Level 4 to complete a second circuit of the MCG.
There’ll be staggered start times from 8am to 1.15pm and anyone aged 12 years or older can enter.
Friends and family can watch the action at no charge from a designated viewing area.
Visit www.stadiumstomp.com.au, click on ’sponsor a stomper’ and the MCG event, and search for Violet Stompers to support Jasmin.
