By Victoria Stone-Meadows
A 63 year-old man from Narre Warren will be taking on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea later this year in a bid to raise money for a sick young woman.
Ray Spinks has been on a health kick for about 12 months and he has a set a goal to improve himself while helping 19-year-old Jade Kollmorgen pay for her cystic fibrosis treatments.
“It all started when I wanted to do something for myself,” Mr Spinks said.
“I have lost 21kg in the last 12 months and my fitness has never been like this before.”
Mr Spinks’ personal trainer suggested he set himself some goals for his fitness and that was when his personal mission changed into a quest to help Ms Kollmorgen.
Mr Spinks met Jade through his wife Kathryn who works with Ms Kollmorgen’s mother Rachel.
“I was sitting at home having a conversation with my wife about walking the Kokoda Track and I said I would like to do it for a charity,” Mr Spinks said.
“We thought about it for a bit, looked at each other and we both said ‘let’s do it for Jade’.”
Since then, Mr Spinks has been training every day to the lead up to him leaving for Papua New Guinea on 20 April to take on the mammoth 90km walk.
Ms Kollmorgen has been dealing with the effects of cystic fibrosis her entire life and said it changes the way she is able to live and function.
“Over the last year I have been in hospital more and more,” she said.
“Last year was worst; I was in hospital eight or nine times for two weeks at a time.”
“I even went overseas for my gap year and was in hospital for the start and end of the trip; it has become harder to deal with over the past year.”
On top of the hours of breathing exercises she has to do every day, Ms Kollmorgen takes about 40 different tablets during the day to keep her symptoms under control.
Mr Spinks is raising money for Ms Kollmorgen through a GoFundMe account where all the money generated will go directly to the Kollmorgen family to assist with the cost of Jade’s medications.
“I don’t have a job and I am paying for all my medications and it’s a big thing,” Ms Kollmorgen said.
“I have to use Centrelink money for that so any funding is really helpful to manage all that.”
“My family is not well off and it is hard to keep up and pay for all my medications so this is going to be a big help.”
Mr Spinks said he had already had great support from his own employer Hettich as well as from local businesses he has approached.
“I have had great support from a lot of people both through donating funds to get me to Kokoda as well as equipment to support me in my training,” he said.
“I want to give my sincere thanks to Michael Malkoun from Brighton Porsche and Brighton Infiniti, Neil Richards from Kitchen Hardware Company and Joshua Huang from W.T. Hardware.
“These are the companies that have sponsored me to get to Kokoda.
“I also want to give special thanks to Rays Outdoors Fountain Gate, The Athletes Foot Fountain Gate and Merrell Shoes Fountain Gate for supplying footwear and equipment for my training and the trek.”
Mr Spinks is very passionate about helping Ms Kollmorgen and raising the funds she needs to have the best possible quality of life.
“At my age I never thought I could do anything like this but it is amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it,” he said.
“I will not fail in this and I will not fail her.”
To donate to Mr Spinks’ cause, go to www.gofundme.com/jades-cystic-fibrosis-fight
