Sarah’s ride to healing

The loss of a parent is devastating. Losing both is unimaginable, but photographer and horse lover Sarah Wheeler is turning her grief into hope for others suffering from liver, pancreatic, stomach, bile duct and oesophageal cancers.

Raised in the far west of NSW, southeast of Lightning Ridge, Sarah's father died unexpectedly from a heart condition when she was just 12 years old.

In 2022, her mother was diagnosed with a rare gastrointestinal cancer, and she passed away just five months later.

Taking the reins of her grief, Sarah has embarked on an epic journey to raise funds and awareness and capture the landscape through her lens as she travels outback NSW and Queensland over nine months.

After leaving her hometown of Rowena in May 2024, Sarah and her horses, Shifty, Sally and Scout, arrived in Hay last Wednesday afternoon for two days of well-earned rest. They spent this time as the guest of Sarah and Will Cannon, at Rosevale, who had not ever met Sarah Wheeler.

“We were asked if we’d have her stay with us because we have horse facilities,” Mrs Cannon said. “And we said sure. We are happy to help. She is such a remarkable role model for our young people.”

“The grief of losing my parents has given birth to a mission – a grief and upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancer fundraising project called ‘The Outback Long Ride.’” Ms Wheeler explained. 

“It’s a solo journey on horseback to raise awareness, help me heal, honour my parents’ lives and their love of horses, and do something to incorporate my love of capturing rural life and the people within it.”

“Upper GI cancers account for approximately one in five cancer deaths each year. The five-year survival rates for upper GI cancers in Australia today remain worse than outcomes for all cancers observed in 1975.

Sarah and her horses travel around 30 kilometres each day, towards a support vehicle manned by her boyfriends, mates and sometimes strangers who want to lend a hand.

Expecting to camp is made under the stars, and generous offers to share a family home have been made along the route.

"That's been a big highlight, just seeing how caring and generous local communities are," Sarah said. “I’ve been welcomed into communities like Hay. People have just opened their arms to me.”

On Friday evening, a fundraiser was held at South Hay Hotel, where additional monies were raised from a barbecue and by raffling locally donated prizes. Businesses from Hay, Darlington Point, Deniliquin and Griffith all answered the call for prizes.

A large crowd gathered to attend the event, pulled together by Sarah Cannon and Ali McLean. 

“You display such resilience,” Mrs Cannon said in her address to the crowd. “Your parents would be so proud.”

All in attendance were touched by Ms Wheelers raw, honest recollections of grief.

Sarah also shared her plans to write a book, work on a documentary of her trek and grow awareness of her charity, A Daughter’s Way. A Daughter’s Way was established to support Australian rural families experiencing grief.

“And when I get home (to Rowena), the first thing I will do is invite as many people as possible to ride into the town with me, towards a pub feed,” she said.

Mike Cannon was the lucky winner of the major raffle prize of a Sydney holiday; he re-donated it and an online donor was the winning recipient. Will Miller won the second prize of a $1000 Love Hay gift card.

Sarah departed Hay on Saturday, bound for One Tree via the Cobb Highway. She was accompanied by local riders Lottie Ryan, sisters Skye and Sophie Cannon and a contingent of proud family members.

Sarah’s journey will cover 5,500 kilometres by the time she returns home. So far, her travels have taken her to Longreach, Mt Isa, Charters Towers, Roma Narrabri, Cowra and Wagga Wagga. 

The next major towns on her way home will be Nyngan and Walgatt before she arrives back in Rowena.

All funds raised along the way will support both the Pancare Foundation, the leading organisation inspiring hope, raising awareness, supporting families and funding research for upper GI cancers, and A Daughter’s Way. 

To donate, visit The Outback Long Ride.