About 40,000 British and Irish Lions fans will be having a blast around Australia over the next five weeks - kicking off against the Western Force on Saturday night.

But you'd be hard pressed to find a more inspirational story than that of the Hardman family.

Stan Sport paid the English family of five a visit as they started an epic nine game caravan pilgrimage across the continent - from Perth to Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, back to Brisbane, Melbourne for two matches and Sydney again to finish.

Watch all the action from the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia on Stan Sport, the only place to watch every match live and on demand

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The Hardmans sold their house and bought a caravan after Kate, now 40, was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer in 2023.

The prognosis is that it is incurable.

"Cancer has been devastating for us at times, but it's also been that real kick up the backside to get us out there," Kate's husband Kriss - who recovered from testicular cancer in 2020 - told Stan Sport.

The Hardman family chat with Stan Sport's Michael Atkinson.

"I don't think we would have gone on this Lions tour had this not have happened."

Kate was initially diagnosed with breast cancer on her left side just after the birth of her first son Kian in 2017.

She was given the all clear after radiotherapy, a single mastectomy and other reconstructive surgeries.

NEW PODCAST! Michael Hooper helps break down the first big Lions controversy while the BBC's Lauren Jenkins joins from Perth

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But while pregnant with her third child, daughter Kaia, a lump was found on Kate's right side as well as the site of the previous cancer.

"Cancer diagnosis definitely changes your perspective," Kate said.

"We were very much like, 'yeah, let's come back out to Australia, let's enjoy life'."

The Hardman family listen to a video message from Lions star Fin Smith.

Stan Sport's Michael Atkinson relayed a video message to the Hardmans from Lions star Fin Smith.

"I've just heard about your amazing story," Smith told them.

"I know there's a lot of you squeezing into that van, but I hope it's nice and you're all enjoying spending time with each other and not falling out too much. Really, really looking forward to hopefully seeing you guys at some of the games in Australia. I hope you're loving your time."

Fin Smith gives the thumbs up during a training session.

Kate was blown away.

"Oh, how incredible is that!"

"We have had our moments of thinking 'who did we did we piss off in past life' for two people in their 30s to get cancer. I was 33 and Kate was 38 when she was diagnosed with incurable cancer," he said.

"We felt pretty unlucky. But you have your moment of feeling sorry for yourself and you let yourself have that moment, and then we thought 'what are we going to do about it?' That is why we have decided to really live our lives."

Kriss is a former rugby player who has been involved with the sport for over 25 years.

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"The whole ethos of rugby, you make friendships and bonds with people that are like no other. We wanted to start showing that on our (social media) page, how important rugby is to us and that it has been a huge part of lives," he said.

"So that is how rugby fits in with us. We both love rugby, and I have played a lot, and we are just going all out for this tour."

And as for a series prediction?

The British and Irish Lions squad pose on arrival in Australia.

"There is nothing I love more than sticking it to the Aussies," Kriss joked.

"I would love it if the Lions won. That is another great thing about rugby.

"You can sit next to someone in the stadium supporting the other team and you can have a bit of banter, and it all stays friendly, and you can have a laugh."

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