Cancer Survivor. World Champion. Here's Her Story

Trained in Taekwondo and other martial arts, the young Nadine Champion knew how to handle herself in a tough situation – or so she thought…

Trained in Taekwondo and other martial arts, the young Nadine Champion knew how to handle herself in a tough situation – or so she thought…

Working security in a vibrant night club on Oxford St in Sydney, she was attacked by 2 people at once, one from in front, and one from behind, the latter one eye-gouging her in a drunken rage, attempting to injure her beyond recovery.

Beaten and bloodied, she survived this ordeal, but her attacker had inflicted wounds much deeper than her bruised eye-socket. The experience had rocked her to the core:

“The person I thought I was… had taken a beating along with my face. I felt unsteady on the inside…”

Nadine was suddenly carrying a new fear. A deep-seeded insecurity that was “desperately uncomfortable”.

Who am I? I thought I knew…

That experience and the questions that followed launched her on a search that ended in the San Fernando Valley, and finding her own ‘Mr Miyagi’ – Sensei Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez – one of the World’s greatest martial artists - and just who Nadine needed in her corner to help shape her into the powerful woman she has become.

Sensei Benny taught her more than just how to fight – he taught her how to ‘think’ – about herself, and about life, and Nadine discovered how 10 seconds of courage can change everything.

Cancer survivor. World Champion Fighter. Lifelong learner, and now, Teacher – on this episode of Gifts From the Edge, Nadine Champion unpacks for us what ‘coming back’ and ‘stepping up’ looks like and how you can do it too.