A Sunshine Coast 64-year-old will show the world that age is just a number when she appears on a new television series.
Breast cancer survivor Sharon Lagden will star in Ageless, an eight-part series that will screen on the Nine Network challenging misconceptions about ageing.
The red carpet was rolled out for the premiere of the new series, at GemLife Maroochy Quays on March 12, when 100 guests rubbed shoulders with the stars, including Ms Lagden.
Created by lifestyle resort developer GemLife, Ageless will screen from March 23. It follows the lives of 11 remarkable people over 50 who possess such a thirst for new experiences it would appear they never age, inspiring Australians to rethink what it means to grow older.
Ms Lagden’s story will feature on episode five, Taking a Leap, on April 20, where alongside her husband Kevin she meets host Grey Rogers and reflects on what it means to live life with no regret.
The GemLife Palmwoods resident said after surviving breast cancer and depression, she didn’t want to let her age or anything else be a barrier to what she wanted to achieve.
“Having a cancer diagnosis, coming out of that and then getting depression makes you want to do things that make you feel alive,” she said.
“That’s why creating my bucket list, taking the leap to skydive, and embracing new opportunities such as joining the Ageless series have been important to me.
“You should never let your age hold you back from living life to the very fullest.
“I hope my journey inspires others to realise that age is merely a label.
“Don’t allow it, or fear, to hold you back from pursuing what you want.
“For me, embracing agelessness involves continually embracing new challenges and venturing beyond comfort zones.
“As you get older it’s not your age that defines you, it’s your attitude.
“Feel the fear and do it anyway.”
Ageless features people from across the country aged 56 to 81, including a 56-year-old blind motorcyclist aiming to become the fastest vision-impaired person on earth, and a 70-year-old widow running a 20,000ha outback property on her own.
GemLife commissioned the series to inspire older Australians to live their lives to the fullest, and to challenge out-of-date misconceptions about ageing.
GemLife director and chief executive officer Adrian Puljich said the series was sure to spark conversation.
“We want the show to encourage viewers of all ages to question how they define ageing and embrace the concept of agelessness,” he said.
“We see people who defy stereotypes in our communities every day and we want the wider community to understand there is more to age than a number.
“While the dictionary typically defines being ageless as ‘appearing younger than one’s age’ the show challenges this tired view by showcasing people who embody the ‘ageless’ mindset.
“Each tale is so personal and it has been a true privilege to be part of such a heart-warming series.”
Ageless will air each Saturday from March 23 to May 11, on Channel Nine and online on the GemLife website.
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