Scott Dixon has had his fair share of battles on the road to winning three IndyCar crowns and an Indianapolis 500 title. Battling cancer is another thing and he’s well aware just how hard that fight that can be.
Dixon was back in Auckland over the weekend for a flying visit for the Big Boys Toys event and again made time to support the CanTeen charity at a fundraising luncheon.
Four years ago as CanTeen’s ambassador, Dixon met Shylo Harrison at the Starship hospital. She was facing her own fierce battle with medulloblastoma, a highly malignant type of brain tumour. She is now in remission.
When the now 22-year-old heard Dixon was in town, she travelled down from Mangawhai to see the bloke she remembers visiting her. “I first met Scott when I was in a hospital bed not in a good state,” said Shylo. “I met him and it was quite exciting. I don’t think he recognises me now, though – I’ve got hair going on now.
“I never thought I’d get the chance to be sitting next to Scott again and I was so keen to meet him again.”
Dixon has been involved with CanTeen since 2007. He met Shylo when the charity was doing a big push for Bandana Day.
“You don’t get to see people doing so well this often. It’s probably my first time seeing things play out so well. It’s really cool,” Dixon said.
“The awesome thing is that she’s a trained nanny, so next time we bring the girls down [Poppy, 5, and Tilly, 3,] we know who to call to look after them,” Dixon said.
