Run Matt Run

Short Life story of Kevin Gordon Bell

My story is not a spectacular one, but most probably one that is all too common. I live in the town of Portland, Victoria, Australia. I am a 62 year old retired Lutheran Pastor, and have Low Grade B – Cell Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma which now has shown early stages of large cell transformation. At this time I am still in treatment, which is having a positive effect but of course there is a way to go. My treatment is a three week cycle and I travel to the town of Warrnambool, just over an hour away, to receive my Chemo.

In my youth I played Australian rules football, tennis and cricket and even though over the years my fitness levels has waxed and waned, weight gone off and on, I have generally kept good health and fitness. This has been so, in-spite of the fact that for over 20 years I have been hampered by Atrial Fibrillation, a heart complaint. In fact before I was diagnosed with Lymphoma the Atrial Fibrillation most likely masked the symptoms of the Lymphoma.

The Lymphoma began to reveal itself when I could not recover from a cold late in 2009. My family doctor ordered blood tests and it was discovered that I was anaemic and it was presumed that I was bleeding internally. At that time I was preparing to travel to Canada to visit my son Matthew and family and it was an anxious time as I underwent a Colonoscopy and a Gasoscopy. The two tests did not reveal any cancer so my wife, Judi and I travelled to Canada. We had a marvellous holiday and even though I had some very poor days I managed to take part in a 5km. Fun walk and climbed some pretty steep mountains. On our return to Australia tests showed my blood levels were very low and it was then discovered I had a very enlarged spleen and diagnosed with the Lymphoma.

Since then life has been consumed by the Chemo treatment for this Lymphoma and I have come to learn that there are wonderful haematologists and oncology nurses that provide hope, comfort and care in face of this disease. Like so many, the daily struggle is more often against the side-effects of the treatment rather than the symptoms of the disease. I have also found that my experience with the side-effects is not necessarily the same as others and it is best not to assume that what one person suffers is the same as another. A wonderful loving family and supportive Church family give me strength to cope with this disease and I draw upon my faith in a loving God.

I want to encourage all who are reading this, to give generously to Lymphoma research because there are great results being achieved by treatments now in progress and ongoing discoveries and refinements to the treatment.
-Kevin Bell

Matt Bell

To show your support for Matt click here to donate through Everyday Hero

“We all pray for Dad each day that he will beat this disease as will many others like him.  He still has too much to give to us all!”

Born in Adelaide, South Australia to parents Kevin & Judi, I grew up on the beach of Glenelg enjoying my football, cricket, tennis, surfing and just a general love for sport and the outdoors.  However long distance running was something that never interested me.  Apart from the vision that it seemed to be a boring activity it also seemed too hard.  It was one sport that I didn’t feel I could win in.  I loved sprinting at sports days and church picnics but anything longer than 200 meters and I just couldn’t do.

It wasn’t until my mid 20’s that I started running long distances, anything from 5 – 10 km.  I was never going to be a world record holder but I enjoyed it, running at my pace.

Whenever I would visit somewhere new I would always try and do a run.  I love running in new places.  It’s a great way to see a new town or city.  I have run in many places all around Australia as well as a number of countries that include France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, China, USA & Canada. I love it!  It’s one of those things that relaxes me, motivates me and satisfies me. It is now a passion.

I am now 35 years of age and living in Vancouver, Canada.  It is still a passion but my running has wavered over the last 3 years.  Due to illness and a busier lifestyle my running has been very inconsistent of late.  In relation to this my general fitness and well being has just not been the same.  18 months ago I was diagnosed with a heart condition that helped me understand why maybe I always struggled at long distance running.  However it also scared me into ceasing all exercise.  Obviously it was the worst thing I could do for my heart but by the time I was given the confidence to resuming my running I was a long way back.

Then 12 months ago I was diagnosed an AVM on my brain.  Again it put a dent in my exercise plan but when I was finally given a date for my brain surgery I decided I needed to be as fit as possible for my recovery.  That was the start of revival and I have not looked back since.

I left hospital a week before Christmas last year, with the great news that my brain surgery had been a complete success.  4 weeks later I completed my first 10 km race in 4 years.  My dad did the 5 km run in the same race.  It was such a happy moment for both of us.  You see my Dad had come to Canada to visit but just before leaving Australia he was having some health issues.  After receiving an iron infusion and some other tests he was given the all clear to come overseas.  However those health issues continued to develop here in Canada.  Some days were better than others but you could tell there was something not right.  I basically forced him to do that 5 km race with me on that day.  I even had him climbing Vancouver’s mountains with me on different days.

All of these things were pretty big feats considering dad hadn’t done this much exercise in years.  Not to mention his recent health complications.

Dad has had heart issues himself for many years, so all of this tiredness always seemed to be linked to his heart.  However on his arrival back in Australia dad was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and was to start aggressive Chemotherapy immediately.

Meanwhile with my life and my running getting back on track it seemed Dad’s life was going in the opposite direction.  In 2 weeks it seemed such a long way from us hugging and congratulating each other after that run in January.

So a week after finding out about Dad’s diagnosis I registered myself for this year’s Chicago Marathon on October 10.   For years I have dreamed of doing a Marathon and I always wanted it to be in a destination that I had not yet visited.  And so I made the plunge.  Still to this date I have no even done a Half Marathon.  I am still a long way off my desired and necessary fitness but after watching from afar the pain that my Dad has endured I will not complain in any part of my run.

I said at my wedding that my Dad is my hero and that is the best way to describe him.  He is a man that I love and admire.  He raised me in a way that not only taught me the best morals of life but also in a way that allowed me to discover who I am as a person.  He never pushed things on me but he always supported me in any endeavour even if he knew I would fail.  He is a role model to me that has not only assisted me in the way I live and look at life but also the way I raise my own family.  For those of you who have met him I’m sure you can attest that he is the kindest person you will ever meet.

I currently live in Vancouver, Canada with my beautiful wife Cindy and my two little girls, Sienna, age 4 and Imogen, age 1.  We all miss our friends and family back in Australia especially when something like this happens.  It is very hard some days to be so far away.  However it’s comforting to know that my mum Judi and my siblings Corey, Natalie and Rebecca and their families are a little closer.

We all pray for Dad each day that he will beat this disease as will many others like him.  He still has too much to give to us all!

In fact I will be thinking of him and many others like him who have had to endure such fear, pain and sadness.

Therefore I am hoping to raise as much money as I can for Lymphoma research and support by completing my first ever Marathon.

Any donations would be appreciated for this disease that requires more money for research, treatment & support of patients and loved ones.  Lymphoma has no known cause and diagnosis is increasing in the thousands worldwide.

Of course this run will be a great achievement for me but the real passion is now not my race but helping others in their race.  My inspiration now comes from those who go through everything that Lymphoma brings.  I now hope I can help in a small way.

Currently Training

My training is rolling along ok.  In the past month I have dislocated my shoulder and strained my left calf muscle but nothing is going to stop me.  My longest run at this stage is 20 km.  I now have less than 5 months until 10/10/10.  I’ll keep you all posted.

Thanks for all your support.