Mater Researcher drives 20 hours to cheer on her Lions cub

Proud Brisbane mum of six and Mater Researcher Valerie Ah Chee has embarked on a 20-hour long drive to Melbourne to cheer on her very own Brisbane Lions cub Callum Ah Chee ahead of Saturday’s AFL grand final.

An Indigenous Research Midwife at Mater and Noongar woman, Mrs Ah Chee has told her son ‘just don’t overthink it’, as he prepares for the much-anticipated game against the Collingwood Magpies.

“Play your instinctive footy that we know that you can and just really go for it,” Mrs Ah Chee said.

Embarking on her journey to Melbourne with fellow family members, Mrs Ah Chee left Brisbane at 5am on Thursday morning, in preparation for game day.

“All of Callum’s brothers are flying into Melbourne on Friday night and his grandparents, so that’ll be lovely,” Mrs Ah Chee said.

“We’re going to break up the drive. We’ve booked in for a stay around Albury Wodonga and then from there it’s about five hours to Melbourne so it’s totally doable.”

Originally from Western Australia, Mrs Ah Chee, who has indigenous and Dutch heritage, became a midwife at the age of 45.

She started working in the Mater Research team in June, after her Indigenous husband Brendon Snr, was transferred to Brisbane for work.

Her work in the research field focuses on recognising, developing and equipping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples with culturally safe programs and resources needed during all stages of pregnancy.

Mrs Ah Chee said it was “no secret” around the hospital who Callum was.

“I know that some of my colleagues were watching the preliminary-grand final because when I rocked up to work on Monday a lot of them said ‘Oh, congratulations. That's really good Brisbane got through’,” she said.

“It wasn't a secret that Callum is my son and that he plays for The Lions because you talk around the kitchen on your break and ask about the AFL teams …  I think somebody thought it was a bit weird I went for Brisbane when I’ve come from WA, so we sort of got to talking about it.

“My colleagues have been really supportive and excited too, which I think is really nice.”

Potentially one win away from becoming the first Australian man with Chinese heritage to win a flag, Mrs Ah Chee said she was “really proud” of Callum.

“He's worked extremely hard to get where he is and he’s shown a lot of resilience and hard work to get where he is,” she said.

She said a large crowd of family members were ready to watch Callum play one of the biggest football games of his career.

“Oh, the biggest mob will be watching on. My family is huge! My mum and dad had five kids, 26 grandchildren and 45 great-grandchildren and I know that they will all be supporting him,” she said.

“My brother up in Port Hedland … there's the biggest mob that will be tuning in supporting him and that’s just one side of the family,” she laughed.

She said no doubt many of her colleagues at Mater would be tuning in from their homes in Brisbane ready to cheer Callum on.

“Watching Callum win the preliminary-grand finals one week ago was nerve-racking,” she said.

“I don't do good with close games. I can't handle the stress and I can't sit down.

“Being right there in the stands watching him will be even more nerve-racking.”