Tony finds a new lease on life at Kawana Waters

Motorcross champion. Barefoot water-skier. Endurance athlete. World traveller. With highlights like these, it’s easy to see why former resident Tony swears by the motto: “Live life to the fullest.”

And while many of Tony’s athletic pursuits were solo, he found strength from the support of our team at Kawana Waters Care Community on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in his inspiring recovery from a sobering cancer diagnosis.  

“A simple melanoma check for Tony revealed multiple cancers with a poor prognosis,” explains general manager Rino. “That hit him hard and he was struggling to care for himself at home, so he came to live with us where he could get the support he needed and focus on his health.”

“He was in pain, experiencing falls and had lost weight. When he came to us, he was withdrawn and wasn’t keen to engage with others, despite his naturally outgoing personality.”

Helping Tony improve his health and recover his confidence while navigating his diagnosis was a priority for our team.  

“Simply having somebody to talk to can really help,” says wellbeing manager Tamara. “Getting to know Tony helped us to have important conversations about his history, his goals, and his challenges. Knowing he had people who cared listening to him helped Tony regain his positivity and to see a future beyond his diagnosis.”

“Gradually he started to engage again, meeting fellow residents and getting active – starting with simple actions like helping us care for our gardens that involved movement, fresh air, a sense of purpose, and connecting with others.”

As weeks passed, the combination of successful treatment for his cancer and the care and emotional support of our team and niece Tracey saw Tony return to his healthy weight, improve his balance and coordination. And importantly, he grew in confidence. As Rino says: “He got his swagger back!”

For keen cyclist Tony, hopping back onto the saddle was a milestone worth celebrating: he began to return to his active life by riding his electric bike to the local shops, before stretching his journey to take in the 27km round trip from Kawana Waters to Mooloolaba. Now, swimming is an important part of Tony’s health regime again.

To complete his journey of recovery, with his cancer in remission, Tony left Kawana Waters and returned to independent living.

“Wellbeing means different things to different people,” says Rino. “For us, nurturing Tony’s soul rather than the symptom helped get him back on his feet again. And we couldn’t be prouder of him.”

Pictured: Tony’s niece Tracey, Tony, wellbeing manager Tamara