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Dare to Dream 2020: Meet future firefighter, Thomas
Thomas is determined now more than ever to follow in the footsteps of his dad and become a firefighter.
Voyager Point local, Thomas Lowe, is one two national winners of the Coles and Redkite Dare to Dream Scholarship.
The 17-year-old was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2020. He dreams of one day becoming a firefighter for Fire and Rescue New South Wales.
“Throughout my nine months of treatment, I’ve had very little energy and I’ve been in a lot of pain. I’ve had to isolate, not only because of COVID-19, but mainly due to my low blood counts. Cancer has also caused me to lose a lot of my strength and endurance, which are both needed to become a member of Fire and Rescue NSW,” Thomas said.
His dream of becoming a firefighter comes after his father, David Lowe, served as a volunteer firefighter for the NSW Rural Fire Service. He passed away from lymphoma in May 2012 when Thomas was just nine years old.
Now off-treatment, but still undergoing regular check-ups, Thomas said that the $5,000 scholarship will help him complete the physical and emotional prerequisites he needs to join Fire and Rescue NSW.
“This scholarship will help me gain the strength and endurance that I have lost due to chemotherapy. The gym membership will also improve my happiness.”
Thomas’s mum, Christine, believes that with his scholarship he is now determined more than ever to become a firefighter and save lives.
“Thomas is a fighter in every sense of the word. His diagnosis and treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma not only meant that he was fighting a physical battle, but also fighting a highly emotional battle, knowing and remembering his dad’s treatment, side effects, and eventual death – a monster of a demon to conquer,” Christine said.
“This scholarship will provide Thomas with an incredible opportunity to rebuild his future.”
Congratulations, Thomas, on being a Dare To Dream 2020 national winner!
Funded with the support of Coles, Redkite’s Dare to Dream scholarship can be put towards education, career or life goals that have been disrupted due to the impact cancer has on a child’s physical and mental wellbeing.
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