Words of encouragement

REFLECTING: Masterton cancer survivor Tyson Hullena, 25, speaks out about how taking on an Outward Bound course has helped him get through a tough situation by staying focused and on track. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

"There is more in me," are five simple words Tyson Hullena lives by since taking on an Outward Bound course.

It's helped the 25-year-old in his law studies and through cancer and the gruelling treatment to become well again.

The Masterton man will be speaking this Saturday to young people running in the Outward Bound 3km fun run at Henley Lake Domain. Mr Hullena said his parents Tom and Trudy Hullena paid for him to go on the Outward Bound Course in 2010 as a graduation present when he was studying physiotherapy.

"I'd always wanted to do the course but at the time wasn't sure I could handle it ... I knew it would be a challenge. I started running to get fit. You don't want to do badly so I wanted to get fit before I got there."

From sailing to spending nights camped in the bush alone, Mr Hullena said it was a fantastic experience which prepared him for future challenges.

"You get to know 12 other people you have never met before and you get to know yourself. It's a really amazing experience. You go from one extreme to the other."

The young people taking part got to write a piece of advice for each other. His was spot on and helped him change direction towards law, he said. "The message I got was 'not to sit back and relax but keep pushing towards the goals I want to achieve' ... I was a bit complacent about things but that lead me into law. I need to stick with something and not to just rest in where I'm at."

After sitting exams last November he felt something was wrong and headed off to the doctor on his return home to Masterton and was diagnosed with cancer. Since then he has undergone surgery and chemotherapy and has been cleared, but it wasn't an easy road for him.

But the simple five words he learned on the course helped him remain steadfast to his end goal, he said. "It's true, there is more in you."

As for speaking to the young people taking in the 3km Outward Bound fun run at Henley Lake on Saturday at 8am, he has words of his own for those who think it might be a difficult course to take part in. "They will test your boundaries and test your limits. Focus on the end goal, the long-term goal."

Spot prizes and race bags will be given out at the run and young people can find out about scholarships to take part in the Outward Bound programme at the event. Entry to the fun run costs $10 and people can enter individually or as a team of four.