Exploring Australia and Saving Lives

Image Credit: Box Rallies.

Roslyn Meier and Kylie Forbes work together at Hunter Imaging and are set for the adventure of a lifetime when they join a convoy of teams this month in the Shitbox Rally, Australia's largest independently run fundraiser for the Cancer Council, travelling from Newcastle to Townsville, via Betoota over seven days from 12 May.

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Both Roslyn and Kylie were born and bred on the Central Coast and now live in Gwandalan, commuting into the Newcastle area each day for work. Location and workplace are not the only things these two ladies have in common, though. Both have recently lost their mothers and other family members to cancer and found their friendship deepened through their shared loss.

Roslyn and Kylie.

Roslyn Meier has a long medical career, having worked in neurology, as a vet nurse and now as a business development consultant for Hunter Imaging. She is passionate about what she does and feels a great sense of pride that she is contributing to medical solutions for everyday people.

"Health has always been a focus and a passion for me," said Roslyn.

"I get a wonderful sense of achievement out of knowing that the work I do plays a small role in the treatment people receive in their healthcare and has a positive impact on their healing journey.

"In 2014, I lost my mother to ovarian cancer and a few years later, my sister-in-law Kim, who I was very close to, to brain cancer. The loss had a profound impact on me. I heard about the Shitbox Rally and thought it would be a fabulous way to contribute to cancer research and to feel like I was doing something positive."

Shitbox Rally is a challenge where participants are required to drive cars worth $1,500 or less across Australia via some of its toughest roads in the outback to raise money for cancer research through the Cancer Council. This remarkable event has raised more than $33 million since the first rally in 2010. To participate, each team must raise a minimum of $5,000.

Box Rallies (Shitbox Rally, Mystery Box Rally and Cancer Cruise) Founder James Freeman, who lost both of his parents to cancer within 12 months of each other, said, "Shitbox Rally is not a race, but a reward for fundraising efforts. This is a chance to explore Australia, drawing teams from around the country to help achieve the extraordinary.

"After 13 years of rallying, we are still bringing out some 'firsts' for this route. It's the first time we are starting from Newcastle, and the first time we will have Betoota as an official stopover. As always, the outback delivers with a truly spectacular route in place, incredible scenery and hospitality. As with every rally, I am always excited to show our participants the wonders of the places we travel through and to. The incredible experiences along the way and the challenges associated with driving a $1,500 car on these remote outback tracks.

"Teams not only pull together to help each other through the challenges of the rally itself but also help and support each other through openness, mateship and camaraderie from people that have gone through similar hardships with their own cancer stories."

The rally operates as a ballot, and participation is not guaranteed. Roslyn watched with interest for a number of years, even attempting entry even though so many people told her it would be way too difficult for her. She had planned to do it at one point with her sister-in-law prior to her passing. During this time, her work colleague and friend, Kylie Forbes, lost her own mother to bowel cancer.

Kylie has worked in the Accounts Department of Hunter Imaging for ten years. When her mother passed, she discovered that she needed the company of people like Roslyn, who understood her pain because she'd been through a similar experience.

"It's something that never goes away," said Kylie. "It's always there under the surface. Watching someone you love suffer changes you. It's a horrible disease. When Ros mentioned the rally, I was on board straight away."

The two friends found that their shared experience and 'cancer talk' took on a new energy once they had entered the ballot to participate in the rally.

"It's definitely helped with our healing process," said Roslyn.

"We talk cancer in our line of business every day; it never goes away. As soon as we realised that this year's rally would be leaving from Newcastle, we felt like it was a sign. We decided we'd have a crack at it and put in our application. It went quiet for months, and then when we heard that we'd been accepted, we were so excited.

"Everyone wanted to know how we were going to do it. And it's important to us that we do it ourselves. Just two girls hitting the road together, going on a big outback adventure. And because I originally planned to do it with Kim, it's kind of bittersweet for me."

The two biggest challenges the women faced, however, were raising the funds to qualify and finding a car worth no more than $1500 that was still ok to drive under such trying conditions. Hunter Imaging stepped up as a major sponsor, which is why Roslyn and Kylie's team is called the Hunter Imaging Tribute Team. Other companies the ladies work with through Hunter Imaging have also stepped up with large donations and support, but it's still been a hard slog.

"I really believe that the economic downturn has slowed down our fundraising success," said Roslyn. "People are really feeling it at the moment."

Image Credit: Box Rallies.

It's taken almost twelve months to find a car, and it was looking increasingly likely that the ladies would have to forfeit their place. Only recently, they finally nabbed a 1999 Toyota Camry via Facebook Marketplace. The seller received 88 messages within the first five minutes of posting, with many people promising to pay more than the car was worth. The owner marked it as sold and then took the time to read all the messages he'd been sent. Roslyn, in an act of desperation, left a message that told the story of why they were trying to purchase it, and it was this that produced the successful bid.

"Now that we've got the car, we're in a mad rush to prepare," said Roslyn.

"We've been having lessons in how to change tyres and fuel filters, general maintenance and repairs, and I'm getting exceptionally nervous. Of course, a big support team is on hand to help with anything that goes wrong, but we won't know anyone. Also, you can't take too much stuff, and we have to camp every night. It won't be glamping, that's for sure! You have to be able to leave your car and join another one if yours can't be repaired, so you can't bring too much gear.

"I'm worried that we'll break down and be unable to fix it. And then, the advice is that when you travel on these rutted outback roads, you are better off travelling at speeds of about 80 to 90 km per hour so that your car sort of skims across the rutted surface! That seems way too fast to me."

This is where the difference between the two friends becomes more apparent. Kylie has more of a 'she'll be right, mate' attitude than Roslyn.

"I'm so excited; I'm not nervous at all," said Kylie. "We'll meet so many new people, and I love camping. Ros will be the fraidy cat in her swag; getting her out of her comfort zone will be fun. I couldn't do this without her, though. We're good for each other.

"I've never been to the outback or even to Townsville. And we're both excited to be travelling through Betoota. We've read The Betoota Advocate and heard that there is a population of just three people!"

Although more nervous than her friend, Roslyn is also excited about the places they will visit on their travels.

"We'll be experiencing parts of Australia in a totally unique way," said Roslyn. "

"What other time will you jump into a junk box, hit the road and sleep under the stars? We'll be travelling through indigenous communities, tiny outback towns and seeing the wildlife. Of course, we're mindful that we have to be respectful of these communities and small towns, but I do think we will see amazing things and meet wonderful people."

Participation in the rally has been a healing journey for the two friends, changing the focus from loss to something positive they can do. It honours their loved ones, but more than anything, it contributes to the future of cancer research, helping the patients of tomorrow and building a legacy that they, and their supporters, can be proud of.

So many of us stop and buy a coffee every morning; Roslyn and Kylie are asking Novocastrians to donate that $5 spend this week to help the fight against cancer. Donations can be as small as that, so if you would like to donate to The Hunter Imaging Tribute Team, please visit https://autumn2023.shitboxrally.com.au/the-hunter-imaging-tribute-team.