Yabby Pump

Well, guess what? We are taking part in Shitbox Rally 2025 – Autumn! This year, all the teams are driving their shitboxes from Canberra to Townsville.

My name is Trey Kovacic (Right Of Picture). Along this journey, I will be formally known as Mr. Yabby. What is cancer to me? Cancer has played a major role in my life.

My earliest memory of losing a family member was my great-grandmother (Nanna Pumpkin), who died of bowel cancer. Around the age of 11, my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and fought for years, trying different trial medications and chemotherapy. I thank my mother for every bit of pain she endured to still be here with us today.

At the age of 14, my father was diagnosed with rectal bowel cancer, with a tumor the size of a rock melon. My father spent three years at home extremely sick before he was finally tested, largely due to mental health issues. He survived the operation to remove the tumor but was fitted with a colostomy bag that could never be reversed. Three years later, at the age of 18, my father succumbed to cancer. One month before he died, I was diagnosed with a calcified meningioma on my frontal lobe. That was one of the hardest times of my life, but I stayed positive and strong. The mass has not been found in scans for the last three years.

I also want to give credit to the Alphablokes Podcast. I am an avid listener, and I couldn’t resist using the name of their racehorse for our team, as they have done so much for me personally in helping to clear the mental noise for men.

My name is Jason Lumsden (Left of Picture). Commencing this journey, I’ll be known as Pump! I signed up for this charity event to support my friend with his struggles and experiences, as well as others affected by cancer. We hope to raise awareness for cancer and raise some funds as well.

I had a friend who died from leukemia. His outlook on life was carefree and happy-go-lucky all the time, even after discovering he had cancer. He went through multiple surgeries and chemotherapy but unfortunately passed away at 24 years old. That’s extremely young to be dealing with such a heavy burden, let alone dying from it.

I know how badly it affected me, not to mention how deeply it impacted his close friends and immediate family. They had to grow up without a son and brother, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, as it’s a terrible thing to endure, especially when there is still no cure.

Another issue that is near and dear to my heart is mental health. It plays a big role in my life, as I’ve dealt with depression and anxiety for years, growing up as an overweight kid. Somehow, I managed to cope through the support of my friends and family. I also lost many friends from school who took their own lives because they couldn’t deal with what was going on in their heads. I’ve seen how this has absolutely broken the families and friends of these individuals, including myself. I want to raise awareness and support for people going through hard times, hoping to one day help break the cycle of suicide.

On this journey, we hope to raise $7,500 or more. We also want to use this trip to promote men's mental health, as it was a massive factor in my fight and my father's as well. As a team, we don’t have enough fingers to count the people we have lost to mental health issues, suicide, and cancer.

This trip means the world to us as two mates giving something back and going on an adventure for our personal mental health. You may not know us yet, but you will, because Mr. Yabby has more energy than a herd of bulls on Red Bull. The Pump has a sense of humor larger than life itself, and the only thing bigger is our hearts.

Shitbox Rally is the largest community-led fundraiser for Cancer Council in Australia and is now in its 15th year. All teams must raise a minimum of $5,000, but most teams raise well above this amount, with the Autumn 2025 rally target set at over $2,000,000.

These funds go to the Cancer Council, and we are extremely proud to do our part to support such a worthy charity. Fundraising is the hard part, so any donation you can give is greatly appreciated.