My Wild Ride

My Wild Ride

Fiona Johnson was born a city girl, but that never stopped her love for horses. At the age of 10 she saved up all her pocket money to buy a saddle at a garage sale. Eventually, after months of nagging her parents, they agreed to buy her a horse to accompany the saddle. Fiona's teenage years were spent growing up with horses at the Ray Murray ranch in Kellyville NSW.

In her early 20's Fiona meets Matt and they fall madly in love. They move to Queensland, buy a 5 acre block of land, get married and begin to build their dream home.

But things are about to take a dramatic turn. Married for less than a year, Fiona is diagnosed with Acute Myloid Leukaemia. She's only 25. She begins chemotherapy early in December 2001 and spends the days leading up to Christmas in intensive care. With toxicity in her stomach, she can't eat or drink for over two weeks, and is fed through a drip throughout the festive season.

It's in 2002 that she goes into remission, yet realises her fight has only just begun. She continues with chemotherapy and loses a friend in the hospital who had been battling the same disease. Fiona is faced with the biggest decision of her life - to have a transplant or not. Given only a 50% chance of surviving the next five years, Fiona decides against a transplant despite doctor's advice. She's also told her chances of falling pregnant are slim to none after such intensive treatment.

It's in that moment Fiona decides life is too short. She begins a lifelong dream - to become Australia's rodeo champion...

Fiona Johnson is now cancer-free, still happily married to Matt (who now also competes in the rodeo circuit), has two beautiful children (despite all odds) and has gone on to become the National Champion in Breakaway Calf Roping.

Fiona Johnson is a bright, beautiful young woman and a champion in her chosen sport of Rodeo. She is a three time NRA finalist, won the Rookie Champion Breakaway Roping in 2005 and has a personal best in Breakaway Roping of 2.29 seconds. Fiona is also a horse trainer who can ride dressage, rodeo and western and has shown horses at national and state level. She practices natural horsemanship. Now 34, Fiona currently lives with her husband Matt, their two children Mahli and Beau, and their horses in the NSW rural community of Murwillumbah.

My Wild Ride
Allen & Unwin
Author: Fiona Johnson
RRP: $29.99

Interview with Fiona Johnson

Question: Why did you decide to write My Wild Ride?

Fiona Johnson: I started writing this book when I was in hospital, fighting one of the most aggressive forms of Leukaemia. With a long and scary road ahead of me, writing became one of my coping mechanisms it kept me busy and enabled me to focus my energy on something positive.


Question: Was it difficult reliving certain times in your life?

Fiona Johnson: Yes very difficult, however over the years as I kept shelving the book and then pulling it out again to add to it, I almost found it therapeutic. Reliving those memories became therapy for me and helped me to totally accept and understand what happened.


Question: What did you learn from writing My Wild Ride?

Fiona Johnson: I think I learnt a lot about myself it gave me a chance to reflect on what I had been through, what I had and hadn't coped well with and how I dealt with certain situations (good and bad). I also learnt that I really enjoy writing and that I have a wonderful life.


Question: Can you describe why you signed up to compete on the Rodeo circuit and what that involved?

Fiona Johnson: I signed up to compete on the rodeo circuit, because it had always been a dream of mine. I had grown up riding horses, attending pony club, competing in dressage and English horse shows and always had a passion for horse training. However, I dreamt of one day competing in rodeos in the women's calf roping and barrel racing. After getting out of hospital, with only a 50% chance of long term survival, I realised that there was no time to waste whatever I wanted to do had to happen now!

So I diligently set about learning to rope calves and to barrel race, which was a lot of hard work but totally exhilarating. I then joined the National Rodeo Association and started competing! Yeehaa.


Question: Can you tell us about how you felt when you did fall pregnant? Do you speak about this in the book?

Fiona Johnson: Falling pregnant was a wonderful shock! I had previously been told that my chances of falling pregnant were very slim due to all the chemotherapy I had had. My body was even acting like it was in early menopause. Realising that I had a baby inside me was a truly beautiful feeling ~ I felt so blessed to have been given that gift.

Yes, these feelings and my pregnancy, scary as it was, are detailed in the book.


Question: What do you hope readers take away from My Wild Ride?

Fiona Johnson: I think (and have been told) that this is a really enjoyable read ~ so to begin with I hope everyone enjoys my story as much as I have enjoyed my life, even though the ups and downs. I hope my story inspires people to have the faith and determination to see their dreams come true.

So many people are affected by cancer these days, in one way or another, and if this book helps them in any way, I will be happy.
For more info, go to www.fionajohnson.com.au


My Wild Ride