General News
11 September, 2025
Sonja is on the run, for prostate cancer and suicide prevention
September is prostate cancer awareness month – a debilitating disease that Nyngan’s Sonja Turk lost both her father and husband to.
Throughout the month, then, Sonja is taking part in “The Long Run”; raising awareness and funds for the 72 Australian men diagnosed with prostate cancer each day.
“I am aiming to run at least 72 kilometres in the month,” Sonja revealed.
“At the moment, I’m doing around 5km a day, so I should do it within a couple of weeks,” she added.
Sonja’s father, Damir Turk, died as a result of prostate cancer in 2004. Like many older men, his disease was slow-acting and he lived with it for around 25 years.
“Before he died, he was in Nyngan Hospital, and I went up there every day to help care for him. I’m one of eight children, so getting to spend that time with him at the end, was very special,” Sonja revealed.
Sadly, Sonja’s husband, Ian McGlynn, contracted a more aggressive form of the disease, and died only 10 months after diagnosis at the age of 47.
“I lost Ian 29-months-ago. His cancer was metastatic, and it infused in his spine, so there was nothing they could have done by the time they diagnosed it,” Sonja explained.
Before starting The Long Run, Sonja wasn’t a jogger in any shape or form, but is finding the activity to be surprisingly satisfying, and even a way to deal with her grief.
“This is a tribute to both of them. I’m really only just getting back to my routine after losing Ian; I have found I love exercise,” Sonja enthused.
On Wednesday September 10, Sonja also participated in the Lifeline “Out of the Shadows Walk”. September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, and Australians were being encouraged to walk nine kilometres for the nine Australians who die every day by suicide.
Devastatingly, Sonja also lost one of her twin sons, Brandon Turk, to suicide in 2018, and will be walking and fund-raising in his memory.
To make a donation to Sonja’s prostate cancer fundraiser, go to The Long Run website.
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