JOSH
was born a perfect healthy baby on 3 July 1985. He was raised on ‘Glensarsfield’, the family farm, near Kukerin, a small rural community in Western Australia. He grew up alongside his younger brother and sister.
He attended primary school at Kukerin and in 1998 started boarding at Aquinas College in Perth.
A year later, in September 1999, Josh was diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy. His heart weakened steadily. In October 2000, Josh underwent life-saving surgery and a device known as a Heart Mate was inserted. The device was only temporary and a heart transplant would be the only option for Josh. Just over three months later this young man was back in his school uniform determined to get on with life and get back to school and his mates.
Within a few short weeks, on 22 February 2001, Josh was back in hospital receiving the most wonderful gift of life, a new heart.
Josh resumed his life, intent on really living it. After school he enrolled in Uni and graduated with a Bachelor of Agribusiness. Josh, however, did not see fit to be at his own graduation ceremony. He instead opted for his certificate to be posted, as it was far more important that he get home to the farm, onto the header, and on with harvest.
From Uni he was accepted in the Westpac Graduate Program in Ballarat, which led to employment at the Westpac Banks in Esperance and Lake Grace. But there was an obvious yearning to get back to the family farm.
Josh’s return to ‘Glensarsfield’ in some ways was perhaps the most significant part of his life. It was back in Kukerin that Josh was able to fulfil dreams, be content and achieve his sporting milestones. He was an accomplished golfer and loved his cricket.
The Joyce family shared an incredible journey with Royal Perth and they will be forever grateful for the love and commitment that was shown to their Josh.
Most importantly, how blessed we all were to share Josh’s life over the last ten years. We witnessed a boy grow into a man and this was because of the generosity of one person and that person’s family. This life-giving gift was never taken for granted, it was treasured. To the donor family, Ronni, Colin, Ashleigh and Kalan are extremely grateful and forever indebted.
Because of what we know, and the importance of how it affects us, we ask that you please give serious consideration to organ donation.
Taken from Josh’s eulogy. Written and spoken by Josh’s godfather, Tom Pearce.
This book is a work of fiction, yet I’ve based it in the real town of Hyden, which is just up the road from me. I love using real towns to show what we have in rural Western Australia.
Writing a book is never a solo effort. Many thanks go to my friends and family who are always there to lend a hand (or an ear). My in-laws, Leanne and Michael Dunphy, thanks for your help. To Granny and Poppy Bob Palmer and my parents, thanks for having the kids when I need to run off for an event. Also thanks to Jane Abbott, Jacinta and Colin Holmes, and Catherine and Craig Mayfield for your reading and input. Big thanks to Grant Medlen (& Trish) for my profile photos. To Rebecca South and Brodie Simmons, thanks for the proofreading. To the Karlgarin–Hyden hockey girls, thanks for being awesome and the reason I venture out during winter. Also, as promised, thanks to Cint, Missy, Robbo, Ren, Kaz, Snowy, Janeo, Kel, Jen, Mandy, Chloe, Heather, Simo, Nic and Bev. You rock, see you next year at CW.
To Ali Watts, thank you for being not just my publisher but also my sounding board. You offer guidance and manage to bring out the best in my writing. Your input is so highly valued and I treasure our working relationship. Thanks to Caro Cooper for your wonderful edits, working with you is so easy. To Heidi McCourt, Laura Thomas and the rest of the Penguin team who help put this book together, thank you so much.
Troy’s story came about after the passing of Josh, who was well know throughout our wider community. When I read his eulogy in the local
Lakes Link News
, I knew this would be my next story.
I approached Josh’s parents, Ronni and Colin, sharing my ideas for this story, and they were so open and giving right from the beginning. Not even a year had gone since his passing and yet they proudly shared his life with me. I will forever be grateful. I am donating part of the proceeds of this book to Transplant Australia to help people like the Joyce family. Donate Life.
www.donatelife.gov.au
Thanks to my own wonderful family, especially my mum, Sue, who is always there to support me in any way. I appreciate you and love you to bits.
And lastly to those who already have my heart and are taking such good care of it, Darryl, Mackenzie and Blake. I love you. Thanks for being so amazing.
Please think about becoming an organ donor. I certainly will be when the time comes. I love how one life can save another.
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Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL, England
First published by Penguin Books Australia 2013
Text copyright © Fiona Palmer 2013
The moral right of the author has been asserted
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Cover and text design by Laura Thomas © Penguin Group (Australia)
Cover photographs: Woman: Mila Supinskaya/Shuttestock.com,
landscape: Richard Fairless/Getty Images, sky: Serg64/Shutterstock.com
Photograph on page i: Steve Waters/Lonely Planet Images/Getty Images
Photo on pages ii-iii: David Steele/Shutterstock.com
ISBN: 9780857971852
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From the bestselling author of
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The Road Home is a great additional to your shelf if you love characters and beautiful Aussie landscapes.’
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USTRALIAN
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A moving and heart-warming story about the beauty that’s found in the blush, especially in the most trying of times.
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