As Father Wayne Bendotti counts out the 12km between Perth and City Beach on August 25, he will be savouring every step. Now serving the Bunbury Diocese as the Youth Ministry co-ordinator, Fr Wayne still recalls the chapter of his life when, as a 10-year-old, he entered Princess Margaret Hospital for neurosurgery to remove a brain tumour.
It was a frightening moment for anyone, let alone a 10-year-old boy, but Fr Wayne says that his fear was tempered by the love and care of family and friends and the encouragement, nurturing and care of the dedicated PMH team.
“Although the tumour was the size of a golf ball, it was benign and operable,” he recalls. “Had it not been for both of these factors I wouldn’t be alive today, so I’ve always been profoundly grateful for the gift of life the wonderful staff at PMH gave me.”
It is an appreciation that has since remained with him and he is now excited to be able to give something back. “I’ve been donating to the PMH Foundation on a regular basis for several years now, but I’ve wanted to do something more,” he said.
When his two sisters decided to sign up for the City to Surf 12km walk to raise money for World Vision and the MS Society, the 42-year-old decided to get on board and fundraise for the PMH Foundation.
“For me, it’s a win-win situation,” Fr Wayne said. “It’s been a concrete goal to keep me exercising regularly over the winter months, but it’s also an opportunity to be a conduit to encourage other people to donate to the PMH Foundation.”
Fr Wayne told The Record that he had realised in recent years he had been living with a mild form of depression, possibly stemming from his childhood illness.
“Exercise is great for mental health and the City to Surf challenge has been a great motivator for me to get out and train,” he said. “Especially when the weather has been cold and miserable. Such a worthy cause motivates me to get up and go.”
Such motivation would have been witnessed by locals recently as he has pounded the pavements around Bunbury, utilising the steep gradients around the cathedral.
“Those hills certainly get my heart pumping,” he chuckles. “And there’s always the exercise bike when the days are too wet.”
Denys Pearce, chief executive of the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, has expressed appreciation for the efforts of their former patient.
“Fr Wayne is a great example of how people choose to support us after having benefited themselves from the care offered and their efforts to give back to the PMH Foundation and therefore to the hospital are commendable.”
Anyone interested in donating via Fr Wayne’s City to Surf venture, can visit www.chevroncity2surf2013.everydayhero.com/au/wayne.