CANBERRA'S CENTENARY AND THE FINAL INTERCLUB FOR THE SEASON

9th to 15 March 2013

A huge event occurred in Canberra this week, we celebrated our Centenary.  One hundred years ago Lady Denman, the wife of the then Governor General Lord Denman, stood upon the newly laid foundation stones and announced that the name of the new Australian Capital would be Canberra. 

Canberra was not the first choice to be the Capital City of Australia, both Melbourne and Sydney were seen as the preferred cities.  Melbourne was seen as the obvious choice at the time as it was Australia's largest city, however Sydney was older than Melbourne so it was thought to be the better choice.  So because of the constant debating and rivalry between the two, Canberra was the chosen place.

A variety of names were thought of for the new Capital City including: Olympus, Paradise, Captain Cook, Shakespeare, Kangaremu, Sydmeladperho, Eucalypta and Myola.  But on 12th March 1913, at midday Canberra was finally the name chosen.

The Centenary of Canberra celebrates many things but mostly the history and heritage of our bush capital as well as looking to the a bright future.



Gavin and I, after his ride from Sydney to Canberra,  he is extremely inspiring

On Saturday, my family and I went to the lawns of Parliament House to welcome an extraordinary person, Gavin to Canberra after a two day bicycle ride from Sydney raising awareness and funds for Still Birth and SIDS.  He and many other riders who had lost babies and young children to either Still Birth or SIDS were riding for such a special cause, being carried by the wings of their angels as they rode.  He was so surprised and happy to see me there cheering him on, he was exhausted yet he managed to smile and give me a wonderful hug.  I think it was a very proud and special moment, he inspires me and he says I inspire him.  His lovely wife Gill was there also cheering him in, with their absolutely gorgeous baby girl, Adia.  The official amount raised is yet to be announced but it looks like they have raised around $90 000 for the cause, which is a huge effort. 

The rest of my long weekend was spent working on homework, with it been Week 6 at school our workload is quite large and demanding.  So Nalani, Jarrett and I were all working extremely hard on our work. 

At school this week we finished our Algebra unit in Maths and next week we are starting Money Matters which I am looking forward to with great anticipation.  In English we watched the Roman Polanski movie of Macbeth, at times it was a little violent and very dark but that is the story itself, it is not one of hope.  In Sports Science our work has continued on our fitness programs for our chosen sport.  I have been doing heaps of research and finding it so interesting and now I can hardly wait to put my program together. 

Karen, my Canberra care nurse visited this week and we talked about how I have been feeling; my pain, nausea, restricted throat and other things.  Next week I am going to have a visit from the doctor and also my CNC nurse Wendy as well as Karen.  They are going to make sure that I am well looked after and that all my needs are met.

Nana, Pop and I are doing footy tipping again this year, well the first week we all had dismal results.  Pop and I got 2 and Nana is just leading with 3.  So far this week I have not done too well either with losing the Thursday and Friday games.  My Tigers did not have a good start to the season, however Benji said they can only improve from now on. 

It was the final Interclub for the Summer Season of Athletics, there was only one event, Shot put because in Canberra at the AIS this weekend the Relay for Life is taking place and the many tents have been erected in the centre of the the track and that is where the throws areas are. 

Nalani and I both were throwing, Jarrett had given us a distance to aim for, for me it was 1.11m and Nalani had a goal of 5.55m.  We had six throws each as there was only the one event and also not as many competitors as usual.  I ended up throwing 1.24m and Nalani threw 5.96m, both distances over what Jarrett had set us, so we were really excited. 

The final Interclub was also extremely special for me because Louise Ellery was there, she had an official role this week but she still gave me 'high fives' and encouraged me.  Having someone so inspiring there supporting you really makes you try your best.  I was also again told that I had one of the best techniques that the officials had seen, that put a huge smile on my face. 

I have experienced pain, nausea and some other issues this week but I always hold my head high, there are people who are suffering more than I am and I won't give up and let these things stop me from doing what is important to me.

Next weekend is our school fair, I am going to have a stall called 'Dainere's Rainbow of Hope for Brain Tumours', I will be raising funds for The Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation Brain Tumour Research Fund, it is so important to me that one day a cure for this horrendous disease is found and the only way this can happen is through research and without funds there can be no research.  My vision for the future is that no child will have to suffer like I have, that the treatment and its effects will be lesser and perhaps one day a test may available as a early indication of a brain tumour and then a mild treatment can be given before the damage is done.  Ultimately that anyone that is diagnosed with a brain tumour will have a 100% cure rate. 

Any cancer is terrible, it not only affects the person who has it but also those who love them the most, their family and friends.  Congratulations to my friend Ally, who shaved her head this week for The World's Greatest Shave, she is helping to raise funds and awareness for leukemia. 

There is a magic within each of us to achieve the impossible, we only have to bring that magic out through our hearts and thoughts and we can make a difference.