Brendan ''Trekky'' Johnston won hearts at Stromlo last year when he competed in the world mountain bike championships just weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.
But now thieves have laid him low.
While the 18-year-old was having chemotherapy at Canberra Hospital on Monday, his beloved Subaru Liberty was stolen from the hospital car park.
Brendan and his father, Steve, drive from Moruya ''two weeks out of every three'' for chemotherapy in Canberra, staying in a Cancer Council unit near the hospital.
Steve Johnston said the theft had struck his son hard.
''We were just starting to get his spirits going again, you know? It's hard to keep him going without this sort of shit,'' he said.
''He's just struggling with his chemotherapy.''
Steve Johnston said fixing up the 1998 station wagon had become a project for his son and helped Brendan get through his illness.
''Even while he was crook he was out in the carport working on it. It's just so disappointing,'' he said.
The stolen car is a white 1998 Subaru Liberty station wagon with black mag wheels and NSW registration AO69ZV.
It had a new stereo system and GPS navigation system.
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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