Australian Michael Crossland Inspires Locals

“We can all make a difference each and every day just by striving to be a better human being and by striving to make a difference in someone else’s life,” said Australian native Michael Crossland as he opened a speech on his story of survival, perseverance and sacrifice at the RE/MAX Advantage Resource Center in Redlands on July 1. Crossland’s journey began with a fateful embrace when he was around 11 months old, and still lived in Australia. Crossland, who was raised in Australia, was visiting a doctor with his mother and sister, who had a minor ear infection. When he went to hug the doctor, his knee brushed against Crossland’s stomach and the doctor noticed a peculiar swelling and hardness and decided to run some tests to find the cause. A tumor was discovered in his abdomen and Crossland was soon diagnosed with a hyper-aggressive cancer of the central nervous system called neuroblastoma. Michael started chemotherapy around his first birthday. He was undergoing a rigorous pattern of five days on and then two days off until his fourth birthday. Unfortunately, the cancer began to develop a resistance to the treatment and surgery became unavoidable. With a very weak immune system as a result of his treatment, Crossland had to go into isolation for nearly four months before being eligible for surgery to remove the tumor in his abdomen. When the time had finally come for the surgery, a total of six hours was spent removing the tumor, but they were not able to remove it all. Crossland’s family was told to say their goodbyes and that there was nothing more that could be done for him. “I hadn’t seen my dad and three sisters for six months and I hadn’t held my mom for three and a half months … it was a great day for me because I finally got to say hello, but it was a terrible day for them, because they had to say good-bye.” Crossland’s already slim chances of survival seemed to be shrinking even more. A doctor overseeing Crossland’s case gave Crossland’s mother another option: to try an experimental drug. The drug dacarbazine (DTIC) was given to a total of 25 subjects, all of whom were children. Within 24 hours of the initial treatment, they were all transferred from the Oncology Unit to the Burn Unit. The drug caused serious side-effects. Within a month of the start of the treatment, 20 of the 25 initial patients treated with DTIC unfortunately passed. Within the next two months, Michael was the only patient left. He lost the function of one of his lungs, had a damaged liver and kidney, and his heart began to deteriorate as a result of the experimental drug. Despite the odds against him, Michael survived the trials and the cancer. Since most of his time was spent in the hospital growing up, he watched a lot of television. One of the shows he watched the most was an American program called Major League Baseball. As time went on, Crossland grew a passion for the sport and wanted to be able to live a normal life: he went to school, played baseball, and spent time with his family. His mother bought him a Velcro ball and glove to play catch with while he was in the hospital. He and other patients would spend hours tossing it back and forth through the hospital and Michael recalls them often being scolded by staff. Crossland’s disease progressed and a point came where the doctors could no longer do anything for his condition. His mother was told to take him home and let him live out his life comfortably and that it would be a miracle if Crossland made it to his teenage years. Knowing that Michael desired to live a normal life above all else, his mother enrolled him in school the following week. He would eventually go on to represent Australia by playing baseball in the United States through a baseball program called the Australia Expos and Australian Baseball Tour of Redlands. Although his health would ultimately prevent him from continuing to play baseball through the teenage years that his doctors thought he would never live, Crossland was able to hold his head high knowing that despite his challenges, he traveled to America to play baseball and was even offered a scholarship to play for a school in the States. Crossland is now a world-renowned inspirational speaker who has presented in over seven different countries and serves as an inspiration of hope for anyone who hears his story, and is particularly active here in the Inland Empire. He is also the current Head Coach for the Australia Expo Baseball Program that he participated in in his younger years, and uses his struggles and the life lessons he has learned as inspiration for the team. This season the Australia Expo played in San Bernardino and Redlands; July 3 marked the final game of their season here in America. Their record stood at 3 losses and 1 win on Tuesday, July 2 against the San Bernardino 909ers in the fourth game at Fiscalini Field in San Bernardino with a score of 9–4, as a featured event of the San Bernardino Market Night. On top of his inspirational speaking and coaching, Crossland is extremely active in Haiti and has contributed to the reconstruction of an orphanage and continues to work and speak on their behalf. Crossland spends long periods of time in Haiti at an orphanage and continues to look for ways to contribute to the earthquake victims. Even though he still faces challenges with his health today, he continues to travel and speak. He emphasizes the importance of ownership of your circumstances, personal accountability, and responsibility while striving to be a better person each day. By utilizing these three, Crossland believes that anyone can become the “navigator” of their own life. [END] Game 1 Redlands vs. Aussie Baseball Date: Friday, June 28, 2013 Time: 5:00 p.m. Event Location: San Manuel Stadium Address: 280 S E St. San Bdno CA 92401 Description: Opening Ceremony of the 5 game series between Redlands host team and the Australian baseball team of 15–19 year olds. Fri, June 28 Redlands 5:00pm Opening Day Ceremony; 5:30 Game 1 @ San Manuel Stadium, San Bernardino Host Game 2 Redlands vs. Aussie Baseball Date: Saturday, June 29, 2013 Time: 4:30 p.m. Event Location: Redlands High School Address: 840 E Citrus Ave Redlands CA 92374 Description: Game 2 of the 5 game series between Redlands host team and the Australian team comprised of 15–19 year olds. Sat, June 29 Redlands 4:30pm Game 2 @ Redlands High School (TEAM PICTURES @ 3:30pm. Bring your camera) Host Game 3 Redlands vs. Aussie Baseball Date: Sunday, June 30, 2013 Time: 1:00 p.m. Event Location: Redlands East Valley High School Address: 31000 E Colton Ave Redlands CA 92374 Description: Game 3 of the 5 game series between Redlands host team and the Australian team comprised of 15-19 year olds. Sun, June 30 Redlands 1:00pm Game 3 @ REV; 6:00pm Pizza Party @ Uncle Howie's Pizza (longest running non-game event of tour) Host Redlands Free Day Quakes vs 66ers Date: Monday, July 01, 2013 Time: 7:00 p.m. Event Location: Rancho Cucamonga Epicenter Address: 8408 Rochester Ave Rancho Cucamonga, CA **CALL THIS NUMBER TO MAKE SURE THIS IS THE CORRECT ADDRESS SINCE THERE ARE TWO EPICENTER LOCATIONS***(909) 481-5000 Description: Mon, July 1 Redlands Free Day with 7:00pm Quakes vs. 66ers @ Rancho Cucamonga Epicenter (a group event) Host Gospel Fest and Aussie Expo (PRIOR TO GAME 4 AT 7 P.M.) Date: Tuesday, July 02, 2013 Time: 6:00 p.m. - 9 p.m. Event Location: Fiscalini Field Address: 1135 E Highland Ave San Bernardino CA 92408 Description: Several local churches share Great Gospel music. Also, Australian high schoolers visit to play and share their story. CONTACT INFO Phone: 909-844-7731 Email: tpcraig@servicestpc.com Website: www.patronsofthebowl.org Game 4 Redlands vs. Aussie Baseball Date: Tuesday, July 02, 2013 Time: 7:00 p.m. Event Location: Fiscalini Field Address: 1135 E Highland Ave San Bernardino, CA 92408 Description: A Fair, Farmer's Market and Gospel Night will accompany Redlands and Aussie Baseball's game 4 of the 5 game series. Tue, July 2 Redlands 7:00pm Game 4 @ Fiscalini Field, San Bernardino (Board meeting w/Moe @ 8am at Arthur's in Mentone Re: 25th Tour) Host CONTACT INFO Phone: 909-844-7731 Website: www.mykingdomculture.com/ This summer will mark the 3rd time the Australian Baseball Tour of Redlands has played at Fiscalini Field, and the first time in 9 years. In conjunction with the San Bernardino Farmer’s Fair and Market Night , Game 4 of the five-game series between the Expos and 909ers will be played at the historic venue at 7pm on Tuesday, July 2nd. At press time the ceremonial first pitch will be tossed by either the City of San Bernardino Mayor or its Chief of Police, or both. Join us for an international goodwill game of high school age young men from Australia playing our own local boys American’s (The 909ers) and as always enjoy great food and buys from the market. Both the Gospel Fest and Aussie Expo are free of charge. No pre-food will be allowed in Fiscalini Field. All food must be purchased from the Farmer’s Market Fiscalini Field (formerly Perris Hill Ballpark) is famous for being used as a spring training facility by both the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Browns (later the Baltimore Orioles). It is also known for being the home field of the Seattle Mariners minor league affiliate, the San Bernardino Spirit, and it’s where Ken Griffey, Jr. made his professional baseball debut in centerfield. According to Australian Baseball Tour of Redlands president, Steve Chapman, “I recall taking both my sons to Fiscalini for a Ken Griffey, Jr. Poster Night promotion. I thought to myself, Wow. This guy is Single-A and he’s already got his own poster night. That must mean he’s going to be a great one.” Today Fiscalini Field is home to Cal State University, San Bernardino and San Bernardino Valley College, and also accommodates adult baseball leagues. Redlands vs Aussie Baseball Closing Ceremony Date: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 Time: 4 p.m. Event Location: Redlands High School Address:840 E Citrus Ave Redlands CA 92374 Wed, July 3 Redlands 4:00pm Closing Ceremony, 4:30pm Game 5 @ RHS (Raffle Drawing between innings) Host Game 5 Redlands vs Aussie Baseball Date: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 Time: 4:30 p.m. Event Location: Redlands High School Address:840 E Citrus Ave Redlands CA 92374 24th Annual Australian Baseball Tour of Redlands Press Release For the 24th consecutive summer an Australian baseball team comprised of youth aged 15-19 will play a Redlands host team comprised of players from all Redlands Unified School District high schools in a five-game series of exciting international goodwill games. Similar to the Aussie team, Redlands players are selected based on attitude, ability and achievement and their host family commitment to the 9-day tour. Many are multi-year veterans of the tour. As a special Market Night event on Tuesday, July 2nd, Game 4 of the 5-game series will be played at historic Fiscalini Field, San Bernardino @ 6:45pm. Free Admission to the public for all games. Other games of the series are scheduled as follows: Game 1 - Friday, June 28th @5pm, San Manuel Stadium (Opening Ceremony) Game 2 - Saturday, June 29th @4:30pm Redlands High School Game 3 - Sunday, June 29th @1pm Redlands East Valley High School Game 5 - Wednesday, July 3rd @4:30pm Redlands High School (Closing Ceremony)