MICHAEL MEETS YOUNG ELI

On a recent business trip to Perth, Michael took some time out to visit eight-year-old Eli who is being treated for cancer. Eli and his family live in Busselton but were staying at Perth's Ronald McDonald House, their home-away-from home during Eli's sometimes lengthy chemo and treatment sessions.

Eli has lymphoma and is a year younger than Michael when he was treated for bone cancer. The pair has a lot in common and Eli was keen to ask Michael lots of questions, in particular about returning to school and playing sport.

'Eli is a good kid but he was pretty tired after a dose of chemo the day before. While he was asleep I had a chat to his mum. We talked about how she was dealing with some of the issues that Eli was going through. All in all it was a nice visit and made me remember some of my own experiences as a child.'