Lucas | Blockhouse Bay

“Actually, this story is still shaping me, because my wife that just walked past, she’s been diagnosed with cancer, last December. So it’s the early stages of breast cancer.

She’s been well looked after. We’re lucky enough to have health insurance so we can do everything in a private system. Of course it was a shake, we decided, well I think we have to do some stuff, so let’s do some exercise. That’s why we’re here, all sweaty, trying to eat healthier than before, and doing some more positive stuff.

I’m from Brazil, originally. I came here 12 years ago to New Zealand. I met my wife in London, in the UK in 2006. Then, we came here 2008, and I’m still here. I really value living here, because of all the outdoors, all the opportunities the city gives to you. Being able to go out and explore. Where I came from, I’m from a big city, San Paulo, and there’s 12 million people there. So you don’t have much outdoor areas like this, and then everything is a struggle to commute in traffic and this sort of thing, and even to find a job probably is way harder than here. And we have kids, so it’s really nice to bring up kids here. There’s a lot of things to just go out. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Just go to a park, or to a public swimming pool or to the beach, have a nice family day, and don’t spend a lot of money. 

We can’t take things for granted, you wake up one day with your health, the next day you’ve got a disease or something serious going on. So just make the most of your days, of your moments, and enjoy time with your loved ones, because you never know when you’re going to face things like that, and then things can escalate to a point where you’re not going to be able to have those enjoyable moments anymore. My  thing would be to go out and really enjoy yourself and the ones next to you that you love.”