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Edited Date/Time
6/28/2019 11:46am
Sad news on Jared Graves' Instagram today, as the Australian shredder has been diagnosed with a brain tumor requiring surgery and chemotherapy. Our thoughts are with you big man, stay strong!
A post shared by Jared graves (@jaredgravesmtb) on Sep 4, 2018 at 12:04am PDT
Get well soon!
Get well soon, Jared! The mountain biking world is pulling for you to beat this!
#jaredwinseverything
Update:
He’s represented Australia at the Olympics, he’s an Enduro World Series Champion, taken podiums at Downhill World Cups and apart from being a top bloke, Gravesy is widely regarded as the best four-cross racer of all time taking the World Cup title three times.
Now Jared Graves faces his biggest challenge yet. September 5, 2018 – Jared’s Enduro World Series Year was over.
Back home in Toowoomba, Australia, Jared collapsed, waking up to Paramedics by his side. This is what Jared said in his own words: “In Whistler I suffered a seizure, and woke up from one last Thursday morning to paramedics taking me off to hospital, where tests and scans were done to discover I have a tumor growing in my brain.” This is a ride that Jared Graves and his wife Jess never expected.
And Tuesday, September 18 – is at the starting line of a new challenge, as Jared will undergo life-changing surgery.
You might be wondering why we have launched #StrengthForJared? Being a Pro Athlete – while you can be insured for crashing on track – there’s no income protection when something like this arises.
These are the cold, hard facts Jared’s facing:
o The location of the tumor is positioned closely to a vital area of the brain which has the potential to paralyze the left side of his body.
o Craniotomy surgery to remove the Tumor - Jared will be awake for part of the surgery as the Neurosurgeon attempts to remove most of the tumor and perform motor function tests.
o Only then can his medical team work out the best course of action. It could mean physiotherapy and up to seven months of chemotherapy – starting with specialized radiation treatment five days a week in Brisbane – around an hour and a half from family and friends in Toowoomba (Jared is temporarily unable to drive a car due to his recent history of seizures).
And the real kicker – the reality of no income as the EWS 2018-year finishes for an athlete whose sole career has been based on racing bikes professionally since he left high school.
Jared’s ongoing care is not just about the “now”, it about what’s ahead for both Jared and Jess. When faced with the fact that across all Australian Brain Cancers, the survival rate after five years is only 22% - the reality hits home hard.
This is all unfolding as Jared’s Pro Riding career finishes mid-season. With #StrengthForJared – we know Jared has got this!
And all going to plan with Jared back to full health, Jared and Jess will donate to the Charlie Teo Foundation to help support their ongoing research into Brain Cancer.
Here's some Monday motivation for ya.
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