Starting in Adelaide, Jay Allen who lives in Balmoral Village, will walk for 50 days to reach Sydney by May 19 for the longest Melanoma March.

Buoyed by family, friends and support staff, Jay will be joined by various volunteers who will walk beside him as he creates awareness and raises money for the Melanoma Institute, which will be allocated to a neo-adjuvant clinical trial research project.

A cancer survivor, Jay was only 32 when he was diagnosed with stage three melanoma which had spread to his lymph nodes. He recalls feeling "really scared" when he first heard his diagnosis and thinking "my life could be in the balance". 

Jay underwent immunotherapy and required surgery to remove his lymph nodes, leaving 42 stitches going from his left groin to his stomach.

Now in his 11^th year of remission, Jay is walking for all those who can't.

"I'm alive, I'm healthy and I'm doing it for the people who can't," he said.  

To prepare himself for the walk, Jay has been training for more than 12 months by walking 20km Monday to Friday and 40km on Sundays. 

Amcal Pharmacy, Bowral, have kindly donated supplies to Jay to help him on his walk, with sunscreen, blister plasters, band-aids and more included.

Jay is hoping to raise one million dollars for the Melanoma institute by participating in the Melanoma March. 

Australia has one of the highest rates of melanoma, causing 75 per cent of skin cancer deaths, with one Australian dying every five hours. If detected early 90 per cent of melanomas can be successfully treated with surgery.

You can follow Jay's journey on his facebook page, Jay's Longest Melanoma March.

To donate: https://tourdecure.com.au/events/jays-longest-melanoma-march-2019/ 

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