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Rohan Herring inspired a nation and ‘‘floored’’ judge Ronan Keating during his The X Factor audition earlier this year.
Watched by his family and friends, Herring told the judges he had been given a second chance at life.
The 25-year-old Albion Park singer was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia in May 2011, after doctors found a 15-centimetre tumour around his heart and left lung.
Now in remission, Herring is supporting cancer charities.
This Friday, Herring will sing at Light the Night, the Leukaemia Foundation’s inspiring twilight walk which raises funds for leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma research.
The event that brings families and friends together to shine lanterns of hope – gold for remembrance, white for someone fighting blood cancer and blue to show support – will be held at the University of Wollongong’s McKinnon Lawn from 5.30pm until 7.30pm.
‘‘Cancer hits too many people, it doesn’t discriminate. We need to find a cure. It is important to support events like this,’’ Herring said.
Now in its sixth year, Light the Night was first held in Wollongong last year thanks largely to Didi Kello.
‘‘The inspiration for me is my nephew, [Adem Crosby] who suffered with leukaemia for two and a half years. He was diagnosed two days after his 17th birthday ... he unfortunately passed away in May,’’ Ms Kello said.
‘‘As the second biggest cause of cancer death in Australia, blood cancer claims more lives each year than better-known cancers such as breast cancer or melanoma.
‘‘It is very important to keep up the awareness and through these events we are making more and more people aware.’’
The Leukaemia Foundation’s Illawarra and Southern Sydney support services co-ordinator Meagan Rourke said money raised from the event will be invested in blood cancer research.
She said the foundation did not receive ongoing government funding and couldn’t give personalised support without the community’s help.
Information: www.lightthenight.org.au or call 1800 500 088