Donald overcomes health struggles and hopes to thrive in Rotorua

Published 28th April 2023

Cancer survivor Donald Morris hopes to defy his disability and produce a performance of which to be proud of at the Red Stag Half Marathon in Rotorua on Saturday 6 May.

The 67-year-old Bay of Plenty man has not only defeated cancer on several occasions he has also had part of both lungs removed as part of the treatment seven years ago, but it has not stopped him pursuing his running goals.

“I had always enjoyed running but had never run as far as a half marathon until I had cancer,” he explains.

“To start with it was a major challenge to run with more or less one lung. I discovered I couldn’t even read out loud to my grandsons as the breath just wasn’t there. Running was a nightmare, with only the lower small lung on the left side where your heart is, trying to get both to work in rhythm. It was many months of frustrations and tears, but I never gave up and now have the technique down pat.”

Donald has completed 13 half marathons over the past five years with his next goal to tick off the beautiful Red Stag Half Marathon, which runs through the scenic Redwoods Forest in Rotorua.

Diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2015 which later spread to Donald’s liver the retired account manager faced a huge battle ahead. Then after spots were shown up in his lungs, medics told him they could not carry out any further treatment and he sold the family home in Palmerston North to be closer to family in the small village of Omokoroa, where he still resides.

Determined to find a solution a Tauranga-based oncologist referred him to an Auckland surgeon who removed a large wedge from the right lung and he later underwent a second op removing the whole frontal lobe on the left lung – ops which effectively left him with one lung.

With his changing physical circumstances his surgeon offered a blunt view on his future ability to run.

“He said, ‘I would be lucky to run eight minutes per kilometres and that was like a red rag to a bull,” says Donald. “Since 2018, I’ve run 13 half marathons with my best time 1:49 and my worst time 2:12.”

Overcoming prostate cancer in 2020 there is no stopping the grandfather of five who has next set his sights on the Red Stag Half Marathon

“I’m looking forward to running in the Redwoods, I know the course is hilly, so I wanted to challenge myself. I would love to go under two hours, but I know it will be a challenge,” he said.

“As a person running with a disability, I’d be extremely proud to complete the half marathon in Rotorua as it shows I can still achieve goals that I have set myself.”

And Donald has the determination to run well into the future.

“I would like to run a half marathon one day with my eldest grandson when he is aged 16. Currently he is 11 years old, so I have five years to go to realise that dream.”