Jack Ham

Kangaroo cuddles

Yesterday was easily my favourite 7km of the challenge so far. Aria and I spent the better part of 2 hours walking through the national park right near our front door. It wasn’t the hardest track or the most technical hike, but honestly it was just nice being back out in nature with my mini. She’s got so much of her mum in her, but there’s also an unhealthily large amount of me in there too. The curiosity about the world around her. Getting excited over animal tracks in the dirt. The excitement of being somewhere new. She also found it absolutely hilarious that I wanted to cuddle a kangaroo and even funnier when they all hopped away from me. Moments like that are probably the biggest unexpected bonus of this challenge. With only one weekend left off over the next month, she’s already planned another hike for next weekend. 70km completed now. Only 30 to go. 💪 https://www.themay50k.org/fundraisers/jackham/the-may-50k

Half way

A quick update on my May 50K challenge for MS research and support services. Today I hit the 50km mark, halfway towards my personal goal of 100km for the month. Along the way I’ve also clocked up 148,348 steps which has been a good reminder of how small consistent habits really do add up over time. Back in March my average daily steps were around 6,000. In April, knowing this challenge was coming, I increased that to around 9,000 a day and this month I’m averaging over 10,000. While the primary focus is raising awareness and funds for MS, the flow on effect of improving my own health and routine hasn’t been lost on me either. This cause is incredibly personal to our family, with my wife Mel being diagnosed with MS in 2021. The support so far from friends, family, colleagues and clients has genuinely meant a lot. Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared or reached out. If you’d like to support the fundraiser, there’s still plenty of time: https://www.themay50k.org/fundraisers/jackham/the-may-50k

1 week down

1 week down and 32km completed from the 100km I committed to for May. So for those of you who said “I’ll donate once you actually do it”… I’m coming for you haha. Honestly though, I’m really happy with the start so far. I’ve been building my walking up leading into this challenge and it’s definitely helping. Even with getting knocked around this week by the very serious and highly life threatening man flu, we’re still well ahead of schedule. The support has honestly been the biggest surprise. I started this with a fundraising goal of $500, not really knowing what to expect. So far we’ve raised $1178. That genuinely blows me away. I’ve now bumped the target to $1250 and I reckon we can hit that within the next week. For anyone who hasn’t seen my earlier posts, this is all to raise awareness and funds for support programs and research for people and families living with MS. Something very close to our family with Mel being diagnosed back in 2021. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated, shared or sent a message. It really does mean a lot. https://www.themay50k.org/fundraisers/jackham/the-may-50k

Day 1 & 2

Day 1 and 2 done.

12.3km down already from the 100km I’ve committed to this month.

I’ve been building my steps up leading into May and I can definitely feel the difference. I’m not just getting through the walks, I’m actually enjoying them. Getting out to Hornby Lighthouse, walking along the beaches and a cruisy one this morning has been a solid way to start.

Whilst I only need to average 3.1km a day, I know there will be days when it’s harder or more of a challenge. Some days will feel easy, other days will require a bit more from me. That’s the nature of it. In a small way, it reflects what living with MS can be like for Mel. You adjust, you keep going, you do what you can with the day in front of you.

The biggest surprise so far has been the support.

With your help I’ve already hit the original $500 fundraising target. That genuinely caught me off guard. Thank you. It means more than I can really put into words.

So we’re not stopping there. I’ve bumped the goal up to $1000 and we’ll keep pushing.

One thing I do know. Come the end of the month, those 100km will be done. ✅

Prologue

The challenge starts tomorrow.

I’m kicking things off strong and building some early momentum. That said, I want to be real about it… it won’t be a perfect start.

Day 2 I’ll be out shooting a wedding in country NSW so there won’t be any official kilometres logged. Day 3 will likely be a little lighter as well.

But that’s part of it. This was never about perfection. It’s about showing up, being consistent and getting it done across the month.

One thing I’m really looking forward to is getting out for a proper hike with Aria. We’ve committed to doing one together during the challenge, likely a longer one up in the mountains. They’re always a bit of a grind, but the time together and the views at the end make it more than worth it.

Thank you so much to everyone who has already donated or reached out. It genuinely means a lot. The support, the messages and even just people following along has been incredible.

If you’ve been thinking about getting behind it, or even just sharing it, I’d really appreciate it.

Let’s get this started.

Why This Matters to

This May I’m taking on 100km for the May 50K. Not just for the challenge, but for someone who means everything to me.

My wife Mel was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021.

It happened quickly. From her first symptoms to diagnosis was about two months. That might not sound like much, but in the world of MS, that’s incredibly rare. So many people go years without answers, often being told it’s stress or exhaustion. We were lucky. Mel’s GP recognised that something wasn’t right and pushed for further testing. That decision changed everything.

Because of that early diagnosis, Mel was able to start treatment sooner. Since then, her lesions have reduced in size and no new ones have appeared. That’s something we never take for granted.

What Life Looks Like Now

MS doesn’t just disappear. It becomes part of life.

There are days where things are harder. A long day at work or time spent in the heat can impact Mel’s energy and mobility. Plans sometimes need to shift. Things take a little more thought.

But if you met Mel, you wouldn’t see any of that first.

You’d see someone who just gets on with it. Someone who shows up for our family every day. Someone who keeps going even when things aren’t easy.

She’s the strongest person I know.

As a family, we’ve learned to adapt. We’ve learned what support looks like. We’ve learned to slow down when we need to and appreciate the moments that matter.

Why I’m Doing This

MS is a complex and unpredictable disease. It affects the central nervous system and can impact mobility, vision, energy and cognitive function.

Right now, there’s no cure.

But there is progress.

Research is improving treatments, helping people live longer, better lives and giving real hope for the future. That only happens because people continue to show up, raise awareness and fund the work being done behind the scenes.

That’s why this matters.

No Pressure, Just Awareness

I know things aren’t easy for a lot of people right now. There’s absolutely no expectation to donate.

If all you do is read this and take something from it, that’s enough.

If you feel like sharing it, that helps more than you realise.

And if you do want to support the cause, I’m incredibly grateful.

The Goal

100km across May.

Every step is for Mel.

Every step is for families living with MS.

Every step is for a future where this disease is behind us.

That’s the goal.