sergeant emily lahey

Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Competitor

ADF service: I joined the Australian Army as a Command Support Clerk in 2010. I have enjoyed a unique career with various job roles and postings to 6th Aviation Regiment, Special Operations Engineer Regiment and 3rd Health Support Battalion. I deployed on Operation Highroad (Afghanistan) in 2015 and Operation Accordion (United Arab Emirates) in 2019. I am currently posted to Headquarters 4th Brigade, where I remain on long-term medical leave. 

Other information: My husband, Jason, and I live by the beach with our 2 dogs, Molly and Olive. I am an active and passionate advocate for patients with rare cancers and genomics and, in my spare time, I enjoy cooking, music, travelling and spending time with my family and friends.  

Age: 33  

Hometown: Launceston, TAS 

Current town: Melbourne, VIC 

Competing in: Alpine skiing, indoor rowing, skeleton, swimming, and wheelchair curling. 

What is the nature of your injury or illness? I have terminal cancer, affecting my sinuses, skull and brain. I also have complete loss of vision in my left eye due to the tumour’s position and mental health conditions. Given the rarity of this cancer, it typically sees a life expectancy of 6 to 9 months. While there have been setbacks and many unknowns, I remain on a targeted treatment and my condition is currently stable. 

Sport background: I come from a family of sport lovers. Having rowed and played netball and soccer during high school, I now enjoy strength and high intensity interval-style training, cycling and reformer pilates. 

What role has sport played in your rehabilitation? Exercise has been a big part of my rehabilitation, while also benefitting my mental health and general wellbeing. Arguably, it has given my body a greater ability to fight during treatment. There was a point in time where I was unable to walk the short distance to the end of my street due to the crippling effects of chemotherapy. Since then, I have worked hard to regain physical strength and have made my physical health a priority. I was fortunate enough to compete as part of Team Australia at the Warrior Games in Orlando, Florida, in 2024. This experience exceeded all expectations but, overwhelmingly, it allowed me to see how far I’ve come physically. I look forward to pushing myself even harder to see what I’m capable of in preparation for the Invictus Games 2025. 

How did you feel when you were told you made the Invictus Games team? Competing at the Invictus Games was the ultimate goal when I initially applied for the Adaptive Sports Program. When I found out I was selected, I felt overwhelmed and excited at the opportunity to represent Australia a second time in adaptive sports. I’m most looking forward to challenging myself with the winter sports component of the Games.  

What is your greatest achievement to date? Surviving to be able to tick things off my ‘living list’, including walking the Three Capes Track in Southern Tasmania, buying a house, swimming with whale sharks in Exmouth, WA, cage diving with great white sharks in Port Lincoln, abseiling the Gordon Dam in Tasmania, swimming in the pool at the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, getting married … and there’s still plenty more to do yet! 

Why did you apply for Invictus Games? I applied for the Invictus Games as a new challenge and to have something positive to work towards. Since being away from the regular workforce, I have missed the camaraderie and day-to-day interaction with work colleagues and mates and the feeling of being part of something meaningful. 

What will ‘winning’ look like for you at the Games? Being selected to represent Australia at the Games is already a huge win in my book. 

Who is supporting you at the Games? My husband, Jason, and other family and friends will be making the trip to Canada to support me, as well as a proud group of supporters who will be cheering me on from Australia.