Antonia Dugandzic is walking 100km in July to raise money for cancer patients

Antonia Dugandzic is stepping up to raise money for cancer after her family was devastated by two diagnoses in quick succession.

Antonia Dugandzic is walking 100kms for Dry July after her mother and aunt were diagnosed with ovarian cancer just weeks apart. Picture: Alan Barber

A Bell Post Hill woman will be walking 100km to raise money for cancer after her family was devastated by two diagnoses just weeks apart.

Antonia Dugandzic felt a sense of deja vu when her mother told her she’d been diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer in April.

The devastating news came shortly after her aunt was diagnosed with the same disease.

“It was just one after another... it was a massive shock to the system,” Mrs Dugandzic said.

During the pandemic, the family also lost Mrs Dugandzic’s mother-in-law to a rare form of brain cancer.

“We were very, very lucky to have some moments with her during Covid,” Mrs Dugandzic said.

Now, the Bell Post Hill local has decided to take a bold step and do something more to help those going through “the biggest challenge”.

“I know for some people 100km in a month isn’t a lot, but I had two heart surgeries last year and ever since I’ve been a bit scared to push myself again,” Mrs Dugandzic said.

“When my mum and my aunty were diagnosed, I thought I can’t use my heart as an excuse because they’re battling something bigger.”

Mrs Dugandzic said she was left feeling powerless by her mother’s diagnosis.

“Straight away we did what the doctors told us to do and started seeing doctors and hospitals and oncologists; she’s between Andrew Love (Cancer Centre) and Peter MacCallum,” Mrs Dugandzic said.

“I go to appointments with my mum and things like that, but it never felt like it was enough.

“I thought, what can I do? How do I help? I jumped onto Facebook and the first thing in my feed was Dry July; I started laughing because if that’s not a sign, what is?”

Dry July typically challenges people to quit alcohol for a month, however Mrs Dugandzic had to find another way to show her support.

“I don’t drink alcohol, but I thought I would still sign up; it’s a good cause,” she said.

“This will help our kids and future children and future generations to hopefully, find a cure, find more treatments and things that will prolong people’s life because it is a silent killer.”

Ms Dugandzic said she was overwhelmed by the support people have shown to her campaign so far, which has passed her initial goal of $500 almost tenfold.

“People have been very generous, especially, you know, in trying times with interest rates rising and everything... it’s been beautiful and it just goes to show like how beautiful our Croatian community, and the Geelong community, is,” she said.

“In my wildest dreams I didn’t think we’d be close to $5,000... there’s been lots and lots of tears, but good tears.”

Make a donation here: https://www.dryjuly.com/users/antonia-duga

Originally published as Antonia Dugandzic is walking 100km in July to raise money for cancer patients