Friday, September 14, 2007

TIME TO GET SERIOUS, AND RIDE FOR LIFE!

What a lot of fun was had on this amazing journey! I had a whale of a time, and by all accounts a lot of other people did too, who decided to be a part of it at various points along the way. As a result of what I did, it seems that some of you were inspired to pursue your own dreams, and for that I am humbled, and very very glad. It truly warms the heart to think that I've had a positive influence, especially since I wasn't even actively trying! This blog is all but finished for new entries regarding my trip across the States, apart from some padding out and the addition of new photos, which will happen over the next week or two. However, if I get enough protests and/or requests to warrant continuing it, I will carry on supplementing it with on-going details of my planned exploits over the coming summer. Register your on-going interest in the comments section, if you want More of Max...

(By the way, Denise, I finally succumbed to temptation and bought a pink jacket, like one of yours. It is extremely pink. I won't be able to ride incognito again. Ever.)

However, while I had no doubt that personal life would definitely continue to be exciting, I decided it was time to get on with the Herceptin Peaceful Protest Ride, which took place in March 2008 around the North Island of New Zealand. This project had the support of The Herceptin Fighting Fund, which comes under the umbrella of the Breast Cancer Aotea Coalition, and the aim of the event was to try and influence the goverment to do a u-turn on their decision to not fund the drug beyond 3 treatments for women who needed a full seventeen treatments. I was originally going to organise this ride to go down the east coast of Australia, but the timing of the expected decision on the current judicial review on the government's decision, to fund or not to fund the treatment, suggested that the North Island would be a more appropriate location, with the ride planned to end at The Beehive, New Zealand's seat of Parliament, in a peaceful but hopefully effectively noisy protest just before the decision was expected to be handed down. It also meant that participation would be a lot more possible for a lot more riders and pillions, and that' was the whole idea. Numbers! Bikes! An impactive, collective voice! That's what we were after., and that is what we achieved.  And, as pink is the Breast Cancer colour, we saw lots of pink bike jackets happening (and even the most macho fellas donned pink t-shirts to help champion the cause).

On 6th April 2008 a group set off from TePapa Museum on Wellington's waterfront and made the journey around the North Island, arriving at the Beehive at lunchtime on 12th April, where a petition was delivered and formally lodged, and a speech was given to the government.  30-odd big motorcycles roaring onto the steps of Parliament (we did get official permission!) created a sufficient furore to drag most of the politicians out of their offices and onto the forecourt to see what the ear-shattering noise was all about.We had TV crews there filming us for the evening news, and we had the support of various breast cancer groups who were all battling for a change in the law. 

We achieved our aim of throwing the issue onto the political table in the run-up to a general election, and making it a national hot potato.  While the existing government steadfastedly refused to change their position, the challenging party vowed to fund the full course should they be elected.  I met with John Key, the now Prime Minister of New Zealand, who personally assured me that if his government came to power he would fund the full course of Herceptin for women with HER2+ breast cancer, and would make it part of his initial 90 Day Manifest.

John Key's government WAS elected and he was as good as his word.  Not only did he make full Herceptin funding part of his 90-day manifest, he actually backdated the funding to the day he was elected.  What that meant was that thousands of women who might otherwise have had to fundraise or sell their homes and other assets to raise the money for their treatment, or face dying if they could not, were able to get treatment without begging or having to face losing whatever financial security. they may have had

I got the phone call from a government aide to tell me the news, and I was driving at the time.  I don't mind telling you all that I pulled off to the side of the road and cried like a baby.  It was a very emotional time.  All those lovely women, who now had a real chance at survival or, at the very least, more time with their children.

Riding across the States opened my mind to the possibilities of what one person can achieve if s/he really wants to do something.  What came off the back of that experienc was, The Herceptin Peaceful Protest Ride which remains one of the proudest achievements of my life.  Through the ride across America, I learned a lot about myself, and the Herceptin Peaceful Protest Ride taught me  a lot more about the generosity of others, the extraordinary spirit some people manage to cling to when faced with the most appalling of choices, and just how many people really care about making a real difference. Iit reinforced my belief that despite its challenges and the fact that mankind is riddled with self-made atrocities, the world is still an inherently good place, with many, many good people in it.  I'm privileged to have met so many of them, on my journeys, and long may my journeys continue.

Cheers, and happy riding to y'all, worldwide. 

1 comment:

Denise said...

All right girl.
I double checked after you left just to make sure I hadn't lost one of my pink jackets :-) I actually have 3 of them. Send me a pic or post one here. Need to see if I need a 4th one :-)
That would be awesome to see a sea of pink jackets and bikes supporting breast cancer.

Denise