Crows join cancer crusade
While tonight's clash with Essendon will be enough of a fight for the Crows, the boys are joining another battle too - but it's one that transcends footy borders.
Tonight's match will be dedicated to the Cancer Council's Call to Arms, a campaign raising awareness about early prevention of cancer in men.
Each year, about 5,088 South Australian men are diagnosed with cancer and by this time tomorrow, 13 men would have found out they have the disease.
For 58-year-old Des Phillips, tonight's match will be one to remember.
He's fought off cancer twice in his lifetime, and just last year was diagnosed again, this time with lung cancer.
"Five years ago, basically it was in the tongue... I went and saw a doctor in Port Augusta, and it was very quick he got me straight down to Adelaide and within two weeks I was more or less with half a tongue,"
"It was a really early diagnosis which is the main thing," he said, "I had no problem until last year, I’ve got another one…"
"I didn’t know there was different varieties of cancer, and I got over that one last year after eight weeks of radiology, but now it’s got to my lung, which is a new one again."
He has been staying as a guest at the Cancer Council's Flinders Lodge, while in Adelaide from Port Augusta, to receive ongoing cancer treatment.
But tonight, the avid Crows fan is proud to be helping in the fight to raise awareness, and has the honourary job of taking the footy out to kick-ff the game.
"I’m excited, nervous, I have to take the match ball out to the umpires," he said, "The umpires have never been one of my favourites, but I guess I’ll take the ball to them."
And despite his own battle, he's determined to see Adelaide rise to the top of the ladder once more.
" I was around for the 98 premiership, the 97 premiership, their back-to-backs."
"I’m not giving up, I’ve got to see the Crows win their next premiership," he said, "You just keep going forward, there’s nothing else you can do."
It is a sentiment shared with former Essendon star Adam Ramanauskas, who underwent cancer treatment in 2006, sparking the first Call to Arms event, the Clash for Cancer held by the Essendon Football club in the same year.
"Early prevention for an illness like this is almost the best cure, because if you find it early the stats suggest that you’ll be able to beat it," he said.
"I did, I was fortunate enough to catch it early, there’s no doubt that that was one of the major factors of me overcoming it."
"It’s just getting bigger and better now that the Crows are a big supporter of it also."
"My advice to others is just go get your regular checkups...I say it all the time, men are notorious for the old attitude of ‘she’ll be right’… we need to change that," Mr Ramanauskas said.
And Des Phillips agrees, saying he knows now more than ever, how important it is to listen to your body and get any health concerns checked by a doctor.
"If there’s something not right, go have it checked out … But most men, especially my age, the last thing they want to do is go to a doctor."
The Adelaide Crows will play the Essendon Bombers at AAMI Stadium in Adelaide tonight, at 8.10pm ACST.
The Crows will warm up in special Call to Arms t-shirts, that will later be signed by the players and auctioned off on the Adelaide Crows' website here, from 11pm tonight.
Cancer Council volunteers will also be in the stadium carparks tonight, selling wristbands to raise funds.
