This week returning guest Jim Button and his wife Tracey join us to discuss how their family has faced Jim’s journey with cancer, and the legacy they hope to leave for the benefit of those suffering with and survivors of paediatric cancer.

Jim was our very first episode on Let’s Meet For a Beer, and 40 episodes later the legend returns. This time around Jim is joined by his wife Tracey and in addition to learning about Tracey’s early life and how the two of them came together, we also learn some unexpected things from Jim’s past including the surprising story of spending a year as a welder, a job he had to lie about his qualifications to get.

Tracey and Jim share the struggles their family faces along their journey with cancer. Jim tells us about “prescribed beast before date” originally given by his doctors that they’ve long since passed, and that after three and a half years he still never really knows what’s around the corner for him. Being diagnosed with a terminal illness is difficult for those you care about, so Jim and Tracey open up about their coping mechanisms like what they call “gallows humour,” and how important it has been to have the right supports in place for their kids who are facing this together at a very formative age.

We also hear about the legacy that Jim and Tracey are hoping to leave as they tell us about a lofty goal - to raise 5 million dollars for a research chair in paediatric psychosocial oncology and survivorship. Huge strides have been made in paediatric oncology and today roughly 80% of kids who are diagnosed with cancer overcome it. However, without the resources available to many adult survivors of cancer these kids can often be left struggling to continue their lives their same way as kids who haven’t been impacted by the disease. Jim and Tracey recognized how lucky they were to have that support, and when they learned the same opportunities weren’t available to children it was clear to them that there was a need for them to help fulfill.

Let’s Meet For A Beer!

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