“My disability forces me to find my own solutions.”- Michael Milton OAM, The Kids' Cancer Project Ambassador.
Michael Milton was the first person with a disability in the world to ski at more than 200 kilometres per hour. He still holds the world speed record for a skier with a disability as well as the open Australian record at 213.65 kilometres per hour.
His ski racing medal count stands at eleven Paralympian medals (six gold), and eleven World Championships medals (six gold), making him one of Australia’s most successful athletes.
After retiring from competitive skiing, Michael took up cycling. He was on track for selection in the Australian team to compete at the 2007 World Championships when he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. After treatment and major surgery, Michael rallied to win a gold medal in the 3,000 metre pursuit at the Australian Track Cycling Championships, breaking the national record and gaining selection for the 2008 Paralympic Games. One year after his diagnosis, he placed top ten on the track in Beijing.
He went on to compete in paratriathlon, representing Australia at the Triathlon World Championships in 2012.
At 40 years of age, Michael completed his first ever marathon. Running the 42-kilometre course on crutches, he smashed the world record by almost 80 minutes, crossing the finish line after five hours, 23 minutes and 30 seconds.
Every year Michael strives for a new goal, not all of them in the sporting arena. He’s hiked to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and twice walked the Kokoda Track (a great ambition of The Kids’ Cancer Project founder, Col Reynolds OAM).
“Two battles with cancer and a career as an athlete leave me with a life-long need to stay fit and healthy and to keep challenging myself physically.”- Michael Milton OAM.
The year was 1982 and his treatment included massive amounts of chemotherapy and radical surgery to remove his left leg above the knee.
When doctors told Michael his leg would have to be amputated, the only question he asked was, “Will I be able to ski?”
As an Ambassador for The Kids’ Cancer Project, Michael will raise awareness about childhood cancer and the urgent need for medical research to discover kinder, more effective cancer treatments to help the 950 children diagnosed in Australia every year. He will share facts, news and updates to his extensive social media following.
The Kids’ Cancer Project is grateful that Michael will also help raise funds for scientific research by donating his talents as a motivational speaker for the charity at key events as well as fundraising in The Better Challenge – although clocking up 90 kilometres over the course of one month isn’t really a challenge for this sporting great.
“It's just a leg. It doesn't change how happy you can be. It doesn't change the joy you can get from life. It might change how you do things; but other than that it really is just a leg.”- Michael Milton OAM.
