31/08/2026
Meet Alan.
His is a story of fortitude and resilience. One I’m honoured and proud to share.
Here it is, in his words:
“Age 59, I was diagnosed with cirrhosis and told I had five months left if I didn’t change quickly.
No landmark birthday. No quiet retirement. No daughter’s graduation. No time with future grandchildren.
I wasn’t going to allow that.
I began working with Anton. Immediately, I lost weight, built strength, found hope and began to believe that maybe I could fight my way through this.
But my health continued to deteriorate.
Hospital admissions increased. I underwent countless tests and procedures. I began losing muscle as quickly as I could build it.
Then, in February 2025, I lost my dad and was told that a liver transplant was now my only real option.
It was a dark and frightening time.
Again, Anton had my back. Training was adapted. Nutrition, weights and cardio were re-tuned around one goal: preparing my body for major surgery.
In May, I made it onto the transplant waitlist.
Less than two weeks later, I got the call.
A donor liver was available.
Eleven hours later, I was in ICU. Eleven days after that, I was home. 67kg, severely malnourished and with a long road ahead.
Two months later, I contacted Anton again.
His response?
‘The rehearsal is over. Time to go to work.’
And work we have.
New programs. New goals. A new life.
Within three months, I had regained weight, strength, mobility and cardiovascular fitness, things that once seemed almost impossible.
One year on from my transplant, I’m robust, fit and happy. I’m preparing to represent NSW at the upcoming Transplant Games.
I’ve kept a line from The Shawshank Redemption in my head throughout this journey:
‘Get busy living or get busy dying.’
But I’ve learned you cannot sing that tune alone. You need a choir.
My family. My friends. My donor family. My medical team.
And Anton and K2 have been pivotal.
Life is good again.
Because training isn’t always about losing weight.
Sometimes, it’s about gaining life.”
