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Katie Woolf spoke with Territorian Lincoln Kirby about Max's Cast for A Cure · 360 with Katie Woolf

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  Speaker 1: Now many of you will know my next guest. He's
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  Speaker 1: a wonderful Territorian who's been on the show on a
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  Speaker 1: few occasions. He first came on the show back in
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  Speaker 1: early twenty seventeen when he and his wonderful wife Naomi's beautiful,
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  Speaker 1: healthy son Max was just nineteen months old. Now, their
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  Speaker 1: little Max had been diagnosed with the brain tumor and
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  Speaker 1: they were rushed into State for surgery which didn't go
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  Speaker 1: very well and the surgeon only managed to get about
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  Speaker 1: thirty percent of that tumor. As I understand, they were
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  Speaker 1: told another surgery would most likely be possible. Well, it
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  Speaker 1: wouldn't be possible even after chemo or radiation as it
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  Speaker 1: was too risky. Now it did mean that Max would
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  Speaker 1: have a terminal diagnosis. The community of the Northern Territory
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  Speaker 1: rallied behind the amazing Kirby family and they made The
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  Speaker 1: Kirby family made that decision to seek another opinion and
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  Speaker 1: went to Professor Charlie Teo. Now Charlie managed to get
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  Speaker 1: almost all of Max's tumor removed as safe as possible.
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  Speaker 1: It was a huge deal and it bought them three
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  Speaker 1: years of clear scans and great health post treatment. Now. Unfortunately,
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  Speaker 1: Max's tumor did return when he was about four and
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  Speaker 1: a half years old, and then again at five years old,
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  Speaker 1: and sadly, gorgeous, brave little Max passed away on the
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  Speaker 1: ninth of May this year at home in his parents' arms.
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  Speaker 1: Now joining me in the studio is his wonderful dad,
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  Speaker 1: Lincoln Kirby. Good morning to you, Lincoln.
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  Speaker 2: Good morning Katie.
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  Speaker 1: Mate. Firstly, you know on behalf of me in the
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  Speaker 1: whole Northern Territory community. We're so sorry for the loss
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  Speaker 1: of your little fella. Thanks mate. He was an amazing
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  Speaker 1: little bloke, wasn't he.
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  Speaker 2: Sure it was yet we have a proper territory kid.
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  Speaker 2: Love fishing, shooting, everything territory.
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  Speaker 1: So I love seeing the photos that you and Naomi
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  Speaker 1: post of your little family and all the stuff that
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  Speaker 1: you'd be out doing with Max, the fishing and taking
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  Speaker 1: him on every adventure. I always think, what a dad,
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  Speaker 1: what a family. Yeah, we had a.
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  Speaker 2: Huge first four months year. We basically, you know, tried
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  Speaker 2: to get out and do something every single day for him,
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  Speaker 2: and yeah, covered off everything and there's still enough things
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  Speaker 2: that in the territory can do or something every day.
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  Speaker 1: You know.
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  Speaker 2: It was great.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah. And he was an avid little fisherman, wasn't he.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, he loved it, yep, yep. When he was three
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  Speaker 2: years old, learned the cars and he was out there
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  Speaker 2: practicing in the swimming pool and every time he went
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  Speaker 2: out in the boat, it was all about catching the
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  Speaker 2: biggest fish.
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  Speaker 1: He loved it, all right, did he go? All right?
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  Speaker 1: Was he a good little like? Was he good at it?
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  Speaker 2: I was amazed at how quick he picked up the cars,
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  Speaker 2: and he was like a natural. So yeah, and obviously
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  Speaker 2: typical fishing. We love to brag about how his biggest
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  Speaker 2: fish was the biggest.
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  Speaker 1: He was an awesome little fella. You know when he
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  Speaker 1: came into the studio, you guys went to the Wiggles.
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  Speaker 1: We managed to get you those those tickets to the Wiggles,
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  Speaker 1: ages and ages ago. But you guys are such a
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  Speaker 1: lovely territory family, and that was why I think the
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  Speaker 1: territory community really wanted to make sure that they supported
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  Speaker 1: you as best they could. I know that little Max
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  Speaker 1: he did have to go through through various surgeries, But
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  Speaker 1: doctor Charlie t O did a lot for your family,
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  Speaker 1: didn't he.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. Basically us an extra four years you know, yeah,
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  Speaker 2: without that, we probably would have wouldn't have made it
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  Speaker 2: past twenty seventeen, iould imagine. So you know, it was
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  Speaker 2: a huge decision at the time, and it was amazing
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  Speaker 2: everyone got behind us and you know, backed us, and yeah,
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  Speaker 2: it was definitely even looking back now, it was the
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  Speaker 2: right decision at the time, and you know we wouldn't
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  Speaker 2: have had that time without.
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  Speaker 1: Too How important is it do you think, you know,
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  Speaker 1: with somebody like doctor Charlie Teo, who does he you know,
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  Speaker 1: he does do things that some other surgeons I guess,
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  Speaker 1: you know, to put it really bluntly, may not be
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  Speaker 1: brave enough to do.
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  Speaker 2: It's huge. Basically, he is the only one willing to
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  Speaker 2: take those risks. You know, a lot of other surgeons
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  Speaker 2: just won't even touch you and just write you off.
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  Speaker 2: And yeah, you know, he tells you all the risks
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  Speaker 2: and makes it your decision. Then they never pushes you
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  Speaker 2: one way or another, so it's up to you. And
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  Speaker 2: he is the only one skilled enough to do those
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  Speaker 2: sort of surgeries. And the amount of stories of you know,
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  Speaker 2: time that he's bought and lives that he's saved is
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  Speaker 2: just incredible, really it is.
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  Speaker 1: It's unbelievable, you know what he does and I just think,
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  Speaker 1: what an amazing person.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, we hope he's around for many more years. And
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  Speaker 2: that's why we want to keep doing some fundraising for
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  Speaker 2: his foundation, because he is the man that can bring
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  Speaker 2: some sort of you know, solution to the brain cancer problem.
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  Speaker 1: Now, a lot of people don't realize. I don't think
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  Speaker 1: and I know I probably didn't realize as well that
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  Speaker 1: when you talk about brain cancer, it is something that
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  Speaker 1: sadly takes a lot of our children.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, it's number one diagnosis for children. You know, it
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  Speaker 2: affects a lot of families in many ways really and
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  Speaker 2: unfortunately doesn't receive much funding, you know, as what other
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  Speaker 2: cancers do. So it's something we need to sort of
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  Speaker 2: really get out there and make people aware just how
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  Speaker 2: much impact it does have on Australian lives.
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  Speaker 1: Now, you guys want to do something to not only
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  Speaker 1: honor your wonderful little man, Max, but also to try
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  Speaker 1: and raise some money and some awareness. Tell me what
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  Speaker 1: you're planning.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, so planning a big fishing comp in Max is
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  Speaker 2: honor basically. So, you know, we want to really support
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  Speaker 2: the Charlie Tear Foundation, but we want to get people aware,
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  Speaker 2: you know that there isn't much funny that we sort
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  Speaker 2: of need to start looking into more treatment options. So yeah,
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  Speaker 2: we're going to do the Max's Cast for Cure Fishing
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  Speaker 2: Company in May next year, which has already had a
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  Speaker 2: great response from everyone. Everyone's got right behind us. You know,
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  Speaker 2: we want to do it in his honor. So yeah,
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  Speaker 2: it's going to be a big fun weekend, I think.
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  Speaker 1: So tell me a little bit more about what's planned
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  Speaker 1: for Max's Cast for a Cure.
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  Speaker 2: So yeah, basically we're looking at running a family friendly competition.
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  Speaker 2: There's five species involved and basically you just have to
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  Speaker 2: catch one of those species to go into the drawft
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  Speaker 2: to win one of the great prizes. Heaps of local
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  Speaker 2: businesses that have got behind us and donated some absolutely
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  Speaker 2: fantastic prizes. So it's the opportunity for the families involved
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  Speaker 2: if anyone can come along. It's not the most fish
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  Speaker 2: really the biggest fish. It's just basically catch one of
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  Speaker 2: the five species and you're in.
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  Speaker 1: For the chance. And so where is it going to happen?
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  Speaker 1: Do you know yet or are you still sort of planning?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, the plan is we're going to be based
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  Speaker 2: out of the Palmston Game Fishing Club. We're going to
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  Speaker 2: use their clubrooms and basically you can fish anywhere around
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  Speaker 2: Northern Territory. You just have to pick up your brag
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  Speaker 2: mat on that morning the Friday morning, get the photo
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  Speaker 2: with your fish, and just have to enter it before
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  Speaker 2: lunchtime Sunday and you have to be there on the
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  Speaker 2: Sunday afternoon at three o'clock to collect your prize as well.
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  Speaker 1: It sounds like it's going to be awesome, and it
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  Speaker 1: sounds like it's going to be very territory, which I
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  Speaker 1: love and very much something that Max would have loved.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely, Yep. It's all about, you know, people spending
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  Speaker 2: quality time together. So it's just going to be good opportunity.
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  Speaker 2: It's always great fishing around that time of year. So yeah,
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  Speaker 2: I think everyone should have a good weekend.
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  Speaker 1: I reckon there's going to be businesses listening this morning
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  Speaker 1: who will want to support you. I think that there's
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  Speaker 1: going to be plenty of plenty of territories listening this
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  Speaker 1: morning who are going to want to support this wonderful cause.
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  Speaker 1: Can you tell us a little bit more though about
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  Speaker 1: the Charlie Teo Foundation and what that money that you
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  Speaker 1: raise will go towards.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, so we're basically, the Charlie Teer Foundation runs you know,
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  Speaker 2: a really low cost things. We want to do the
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  Speaker 2: same thing with our competition. We're trying to get everything donated,
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  Speaker 2: so we're not actually you know, using any of the
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  Speaker 2: money fundraise towards the cost. It's going to all go
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  Speaker 2: towards the Teo Foundation. The Charlie Teo Foundation is looking
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  Speaker 2: at all different ways, you know, research for brain cancer research.
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  Speaker 2: They're looking outside the box where other areas people haven't looked.
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  Speaker 2: So yeah, basically everything's going to go towards them, And yeah.
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  Speaker 1: Great thing to do. You guys are a wonderful family,
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  Speaker 1: you know, such a wonderful family and a real territory family.
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  Speaker 1: I think this is a fantastic event that you're organizing,
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  Speaker 1: and it gives people plenty of time to get organized
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  Speaker 1: as well if they do want to be part of it.
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  Speaker 1: If there is a business listening this morning, obviously we
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  Speaker 1: can point them in the right direction to you. But
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  Speaker 1: if there is a business listening this morning, is there
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  Speaker 1: a Facebook page or somewhere that they can go to
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  Speaker 1: get in contact with you if they've got something that
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  Speaker 1: they can donate or if they maybe want to sponsor
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  Speaker 1: the event.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely. Yeah. We've got a Max's Cast for Qure
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  Speaker 2: facebook page out there, so if you want to jump
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  Speaker 2: on and just have a like we do all updates
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  Speaker 2: with that, you can reach me through there, message me
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  Speaker 2: through there, or contact me directly. That'd be fantastic. I
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  Speaker 2: just want to say a huge thank you to everyone
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  Speaker 2: who has already reached out of the response has been amazing.
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  Speaker 2: We've got over fifty thousand dollars worth of prizes donated,
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  Speaker 2: so the local businesses have really just jumped on and
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  Speaker 2: a huge shout out to everyone there. You know who
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  Speaker 2: you are.
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  Speaker 1: That's awesome, That is awesome, and I think you're going
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  Speaker 1: to find that so many people do want to support
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  Speaker 1: this wonderful cause. But make good on you and your wife,
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  Speaker 1: your fabulous people. I can't say that enough, and I
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  Speaker 1: think this is such a great thing that you're doing
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  Speaker 1: for Max.
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  Speaker 2: Yep, everyone keep that weekend free and yeah, get in
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  Speaker 2: and registered early.
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  Speaker 1: Good on you mate, Thanks Lincoln, thanks so much for
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  Speaker 1: coming in and we'll definitely talk to you before that
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  Speaker 1: event as well. That number if you do want to
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  Speaker 1: call through today eight nine four one one O four nine,