Our beautiful husband and father Michael Sobey, was cut down in the prime of his life in 2022 by a rare manifestation of bowel cancer.
In 2019, at the age of 48, after suffering lower back pain on and off for a few months (we just thought he’d put his back out while paying cricket), Michael was diagnosed with metastatic bowel cancer. This totally rocked our lives. What makes Michael’s story even more tragic was that a primary bowel cancer was never found, and the secondary cancer was found in his right hip (only 1% of bowel cancers spread straight to the bone).
The only choice we had was to start radiation and chemotherapy to try and prolong his life. This treatment was absolutely brutal – 6-hour infusions, followed by a pump at home for 48 hours, every 2 weeks. In the 2 years and 4 months following his diagnosis, Michael endured 40 rounds of this treatment as well as 25 rounds of radiation. There has to be a better way!
Our March for Mick is now in its third year and has raised over $35,000 to support the groundbreaking research at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. In 2026, 50% of funds raised will continue to support Professor Thomas Cox’s research, while the remaining 50% will go to general cancer research at Garvan. The funds help develop more effective treatment options for bowel cancer patients. Our hope is that, someday, a cure will be found. Until then, we strive for treatments that not only extend life but also improve the quality of life for patients.
If you can, please sign up and be a part of our ‘March for Mick, in memory of a wonderful man and help us to make a difference to the lives of others.
Rally your team for Mick
Bring your workplace, community group, or team together to March for Mick and support the fight against cancer. Sign up, create your team, and challenge each other to walk 50km during March. It is a fun way to stay active, build connections, and make a real difference. Every step helps fund life-saving cancer research.
Help fund life-changing cancer research
Your support will go towards cancer research at Garvan, including the work of Professor Thomas Cox in bowel cancer. His preclinical research bridges the gap between basic scientific discoveries and clinical applications and holds great promise for uncovering novel therapeutic approaches that target bowel cancer.
To find out more about Garvan’s research, visit garvan.org.au.
Thank you: a message from our researchers
“Part of my grief is anger – anger at how much he suffered. I wanted to channel that into something positive. March for Mick is about community, it’s about encouraging people to take their health seriously, and it’s about keeping Michael’s memory alive." – Linda Sobey
Click here to read Michael and Linda's full story.
