'Parkrun saved my life': 74-year-old cancer survivor
Ann Guyatt threw a tantrum when her cancer specialist suggested she should go into palliative care.
South Burnett
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ANN Guyatt threw a tantrum when her cancer specialist suggested she should go into palliative care.
The Toowoomba runner, who was in Wondai for the Country Running Festival weekend, had her own thoughts on how she should deal with her cancer diagnosis.
"After my surgery, the only thing I concentrated on was getting back to parkrun," she said.
"Every time I had a setback, I would just concentrate on getting back to parkrun."
Mrs Guyatt, 74 started going to the weekly free running event around six years ago and she instantly fell in love with the encouraging people and the regular exercise.
"I lived from one Saturday to the next," she said.
After only several months of her weekly exercise ritual, Mrs Guyatt was advised of her cancer diagnosis.
"X-rays showed there was no bone at all on the side of my face and no eye socket," Mrs Guyatt said.
"The cancer had eaten all the bone away."
She went to the PA Hospital in Brisbane and that's when she explained, in no uncertain terms, she wouldn't be slowing down any time soon.
"They offered me palliative care and I chucked a tantrum," Mrs Guyatt said.
"You can lay on the bed and say, 'I'm dying of cancer, poor me'.
"But whenever I lay on the bed, I say, 'I've got to get up so I can go to parkrun," she said.
'Parkrun saved my life."
Married for 56 years, Mrs Guyatt's husband, Bob is her biggest supporter.
The loving partner is a budding bird photographer and he enjoyed being in Wondai to cheer on his wife as well as keep a sharp eye on any winged creatures that he be able to snap.
Mrs Gyatt completed the 5km fun run on Saturday and the half-marathon on Sunday morning.
"I did one (half marathon) in Noosa the other day," she said.
"It took me three hours and 20 minutes.
"I'd like to think I've got another marathon in me."
Originally published as 'Parkrun saved my life': 74-year-old cancer survivor
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