JUST a few years ago, Karl Jacka would run up to 40 kilometres at Relay for Life in support of people affected by cancer.
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Now, the 35-year-old faces a much tougher challenge, as he battles a rare form of the illness himself.
“There are plenty of dark times … times where you'll get in the shower and stand there by yourself just crying and wondering why it's got to be you,” Karl said.
“But you get out, check your phone and you've got 20 updates and messages from friends showing support – that's the positive side to it.”
Jacka, who coaches Rutherglen in the Tallangatta and District Football League, was diagnosed with cancer in his pancreas two months ago.
Only about one in every 200,000 people are diagnosed with the same type.
The news came as a devastating blow to Karl's family, who had been through a similar ordeal with his mother, Sharon.
Sharon runs the family business, Ray White Albury-Wodonga, and was diagnosed with non-hodgkin's lymphoma in 2010.
The two cases have inspired #Teamjacka in this year's Border Relay for Life.
Driving the team is Karl's sister, Andrea Lever, and the staff at the family's real estate business.
Mrs Lever said they had always planned to enter a team since her mum's diagnosis.
“Because of Karl, I'm so much more driven to raise those funds which might find a cure for cancer,” she said.
“People ask 'why don’t you raise money just for your brother' but financially he is OK.
“Having gone through this with my mum and now my brother – I just don’t want another family to have to experience that.”
The team has so far raised more than $12,000 and is at the top of the Border's Relay for Life leaderboard.
Sharon went through a two-year battle and said she hoped some awareness would also come of the event.
“I'll be honest, before I started treatment, I was possibly quite ignorant to knowing about cancer because life's busy – but when it hits you, it stops you in your tracks,” she said.
“I now realise how much help is needed and how many people are affected by cancer.”
Teamjacka will host a barbecue and cupcake stand at QEII Sqare next Friday from 10am to 4pm.
It will be followed by another fundraiser auction at Atura on Saturday from 7pm.
