WAUCHOPE boy Hayden Birkbeck is living proof of what you can achieve if you refuse to let anything hold you back.
Hayden was just five years old when his parents were told that he had cancer, and he spent seven months at Westmead Children’s Hospital in Sydney in 2006 while he fought non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“It was a very scary time, and we really didn’t know how the treatments would affect Hayden long term, the list of side-effects you are given is extremely long and thorough,” Mum Tracy said.
Hayden returned to Wauchope and gradually regained his strength (and his hair) and started to participate in local sports like soccer.
“Hayden always loved his sport, especially his footy and athletics, but we wanted to be careful, be sure he wasn’t overdoing it,” Dad Shane said.
However, Hayden had other ideas though and it wasn’t long until he was trying a range of sports, soccer, AFL, nippers, swimming, little athletics and eventually rugby league.
A few of his major achievements include:
* Gold in mixed 100m beach sprint at NSW Junior Lifesaving Country Championships 2009
* Best and fairest Wauchope Jnr Rugby League Club under 9s 2009
* Age champion at Wauchope Swimming Club in 2011, 2012
* Represented Wauchope High School at the NSW State Cross Country Championship 2013
* NSW State Athletic Championship 2013 at Olympic Park in Sydney
* Age champion at Wauchope High School for swimming 2013
* Picked to attend Newcastle Knights Junior Development Squad try-out in January 2014
His latest achievement is being chosen by Sports Travel Australia to represent Australia in Canada in athletics in June this year.
“I really didn’t believe it when Mum told me,” Hayden said.
The only drawback is that the trip will cost $7500. To help pay for it ‘Team Hayden’ are organising some fund-raising events and hope that Hastings residents will turn out to support them. Details will be printed in future issues of the Independent.
Donations are also appreciated – go to account name HCCU community appeals, BSB 802214, account number 100168418.
His grandmother, Liz Wagner, said she cannot believe the change in Hayden from the very ill little boy he was a few years ago.
“To see him now, you would never imagine he has been through so much,” she said.
“He is truly a little champion and excels at any sport he tries. To be able to send him to Canada would be amazing.”
Hayden’s aunt, Jennifer Berkley, is helping co-ordinate fund-raising efforts and can be reached on email jennifer.berkley@syd.catholic.edu.au
