Cancer Journey

My current Cancer Journey Began 2 Months Ago, July 2025. Apologies it’s long winded as it goes back to 2009.

Thankyou in advance for finding this page. If you look at our website www.escapescenes.com.au you will see that this is a personal project by one man, David Edwards. Who had a belief that he could start something special a few years back, the idea private tours from Sydney. 

The Beginning

This story began in 2009 driving day tours from Sydney to The Blue Mountains and many other destinations throughout Eastern Australia. It’s kind of addictive, the open road, beautiful countryside which is inspiring to see even now. 1st day on the job, 50 Passengers nervous as, well you know. It was hard but I was onto something. I loved it! 

Few Years Later

I then realised I could do this better, more refined, personalised asking myself, what would I want if it were my family overseas. The answer is Escape Scenes. 

The Business Idea Begins

This concept was floated for many years but how to put it together was daunting, no clue how to start where to find Business so the back burner it went. The first vehicle was a Toyota Kluger bought in 2018 finally I felt as if the dream had start, but no website no idea, no knowledge of where to start. All I had was determination because if I’m honest I really don’t like having a boss or anyone tell me how to do it because I knew how to do it and very well, I believed. 

That’s all I needed, Belief + Determination! 

Had a camera and a computer, time to get to work.

2019 – Business Began

The business started and the first tour I took was from White Bay Cruise terminal for a couple that were on a 145 day round the world cruise. wow just wow! did I just land on something awesome, was this an indication of my future clientele. Im all in this is very motivating. 

‘Pieces of the Puzzle were coming together I just needed to figure out where to find the pieces’.

Learning curve activated.

Challenges

2019 – 2020: Bushfires

NSW QLD, VIC ++ : Bushfires, nobody wanted to come due to the fires peak season and business was down. 

2020: February: Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now!!

The fires are out!! Nothing can stop us now, bookings were coming in things were looking fantastic! Each day a new adventure, I was onto something. 

6 weeks later!!

2020: March 14 or 16: COVID!!!

Game Over

Ok, I’m out, Im done this is it. Prime Minister Scott Morrison made an announcement, Australia’s borders are closing, nobody in or out please make arrangements now. I’m done, the dream is over officially. Everything stopped nobody travelled anywhere. Fortunately the Australian government were good to us and gave us a basic wage through our employer called Jobkeeper, yes I was still employed and we just only just managed to get by. Lots and lots of downtime. A time to reflect on the future, business goes into digital storage, no activity for years. did anything I could to keep motivated as my dream business was officially over with no idea of when it will recover. If ever!!

2020 – 2023

Driving was my thing, I drove beat up busses, occasional UBER. From time to time interstate runs which were just heaven. I got out of Sydney legally just amazing. Nobody on the road, or the city just eerie many times I was the only one on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, not one vehicle to be seen and here I was in a beaten old bus asking. How Did I get Here? – “Talking Heads”.

North Queensland

Somewhere along the way the 1st tour group to go to North Queensland Post Covid was my tour from Sydney to Cairns. All suppliers told me I was the first coach at their premises in 12 months, all of them! the poured it on, anything I wanted, wow such an amazing rewarding experience. I did a bunch of those then the number dropped again, no more tours north. Bugger!!

2022 – A Booking??

I am a photography enthusiast, I had my website active but no availability at all. I had a phone call from an American man was was in isolation in Pier One Hotel Sydney. 2 weeks 1 hotel room, can you believe this is what our government put people though who came here, its simply inhumane. I speak to this gentleman who had an accent I hadn’t heard for years (Aussies don’t have accents right). He asked me if I still do photography tours to the blue mountains. I’m like I can but where are you this country is closed. He explained as per above. I’m like OMG, I’m still relevant? I thought it was completely done. the one thing I never did is take the website down, it just stayed up. He found it, he found my photography tour of the blue mountains. A few days later I took him from his hotel, with all his gear luggage everything got him the hell outta there. New hotel he was over the moon, as was I. We laughed all day and I was so exited to be able to do this again. 

Then nothing!

2023 – I doubt it but Let’s have a Look?

November : It seemed as if there was movement, I didn’t believe it but the numbers were growing not a lot but they were. I had a little bit of feedback online, let’s try it but I doubt it’ll work. My darling wife came running down the stairs nearly took me out she was so fast. 

You Just Got a Booking!!!

We both screamed with absolute and total joy, are we back?

Are you getting a sense of how much this means to us yet?

2023 – 2024

Toyota Kluger: was my only option, lets get it moving one by one the bookings came in, very slowly but it was like a little plant that you nurture and wow its growing. This is really exiting. During the next 11 months I saw no less than 100 bookings, not a lot but enough to give me the belief that we’re back. I was working with my employer as well Chris Niblock was so understanding and gave me the freedom to do this and when he needed me he’d ask. I really appreciated this time too explore my options. So I worked and did my thing too. Perfect. 

Thank you, Chris!

On a side note due to my mental health struggles at the time I had moved on from this position had a little roller coaster for 6-9 months but seem to be tracking better now, but wait..

2024 – New Mercedes Van

Confidence was high, late 2024 I purchased a brand new Mercedes V-Class Van now were on!! Let’s let them know who you really are and what you’re capable of. I put it out there took great photos told great stories both online and on tour. Phase 2 was officially working. My dream business was finally here and I actually love every single day I go to work in my humble Escape Car. Yes the plates are real, I love them. The whole concept was just an idea. Look where it is now. I outsource nothing I do it all Im a self confessed control freak so I just make it happen. 

I Did It My Way – Frank Sinatra was Right!

This is Hard, Now I have to pause!

July 2025

My late mother, a career nurse all her life had a message she needed to deliver, message received mum!

I was running a tour for a lovely couple from the US, I needed to go to the bathroom all day. Even after I went I still needed to go. I just didn’t understand what was going on? 

I dropped them off safely to their hotel and through some sort of diving intervention during my trip home from the city the pain started, what about that timing, like how did this happen to schedule. Half way home I called home, I’m in trouble, open the garage in ten minutes then call an ambulance. 

I needed to go to the Hospital Right away!

What was wrong? 

I had a possible Kidney Stone the most excruciating pain Ive ever experienced. The amount of pain killers they gave me weren’t even enough it still hurt really bad. Blood tests, Needles, Scans X-rays. then at 3 AM I went to the bathroom something went blip and it was over. Pain gone I went back to my hospital bed nurse asked how I was I told her I tink its gone. The next morning I was discharged, free to go. great nothing wrong, nope but is anything comes up we’ll call you. Fantastic!

1 Week Later

David this is Dr .. from St George Hospital, we’d like to run some tests with you this week if possible, when can you come in? Ok sure Im free on Thursday. OK appointment made this was actually a serious test I learnt later as I was required to have a large needle in my back for them to extract my bone marrow. The drugs were great but was glad to leave all the same. I left the hospital, discharged, again. Coffee stop with breakfast was the order of the day. Half way though my breakfast phone rings. David this is (yet another) Dr from St George. Are you able to come back?

Sure Ok see you soon.

Back I went no idea, Brochures in hand concerned doctor I saw the word Cancer. I cried, what’s gong on? David please take a seat I. have some rather bad news for you.. 

You Have Cancer!

My world just crumbled, am I going to die? I was so scared, no but we have to act now. But Im so busy I have to support my family I have expenses this is not real, can’t we just wait. No!

I don’t know what to do at this stage, I called my wife we were both completely destroyed at this point. How can we make this work, no idea.

Can it be fixed?

Yes it can.

When?

6 Months treatment July – January approx.

But I run a business?

Without your health you will die, you need to listen to us we are here for you but we need to act now this is very serious David.

Diagnosis – Multiple Myeloma 

A form of blood cancer which you can google, the blood is not producing what I need daily to be healthy. My fitness has dropped since treatment by about 2/3 or more perhaps I have a 1/4 of what I had prior to treatment. While I do have good days, there are many that are not. This keeps me at home and out of work. But in a positive spin I am capable of working it from my laptop with a little help from my dear friends. 

Every day is a gift and I look forward to a prosperous 2026, perhaps we can meet someday and go see Australia. 

Feel free to reach out, my body may be undergoing repair but my mind well it never stops. I can help you with this in your own Business.