One brave teenager's big ambitions
A Brisbane teenager who's battling one of the rarest forms of cancer is taking on the champs in Formula Three racing.
He's already competed at Phillip Island, often getting out of his sick bed to do so.
In his "spare" time he also raises money for other sick kids.
For a kid with cancer, Luke Spalding has a remarkable attitude to life.
He's this year's Ambassador for the Children's Hospital Foundation, and spends hours every week cheering up littlies in the cancer ward.
"You need to push and strive for something, otherwise you end up laying in bed feeling sorry for yourself," said Luke.
And when he's feeling sick from all the medication he's on, he still races V3s.
Luke was diagnosed with the extremely rare cancer Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour at the age of 14.
"They found out I had over 300 tumours," said Luke.
Despite chemotherapy, radiation and at least 10 surgeries, he's now taking on the champions at Phillip Island.
"It's the only thing that gets me out of hospital. I'm hoping to get into one of these things and get to the track."
"He had a real team behind him. They all know Luke, they know there is no stopping him so they have no choice but to get him up and out and ready for racing," said Luke's mother Sarah.
Luke started racing carts when he was seven years old. Now it's Formula Threes, and he's had six wins from six starts this year. His dream is to race V8 Supercars.
"It's something I wanted to do all my life, and I'm not going to let a sickness take that away from me," said Luke.
Luke is the face of this years' kids hospital appeal and so far they've raised $31 million for vital research for sick kids. Last year they raised $4 million and hope to beat that record this year.
The more research, the more new drugs they have, the more lives they can save that otherwise would probably not make it.
You can donate to help raise funds for vital medical research for children at the Children’s Hospital FoundationChildren’s Hospital Foundation or r you can buy a $2 ticket at any Woolworths supermarket in Queensland until 5pm Sunday June 7, 2015.
