Graham Wilson has lifted the spirits of many people as an entertainer over many years but had his own spirits lifted twice in the last week while undergoing chemotherapy in Wollongong Hospital.
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On Thursday a representative of the Cancer Council and several people affected by brain cancer visited him to bestow on him the title of ambassador. Wilson is in hospital indefinitely after brain surgery last month but still promotes an important message.
More funding is required for research into brain cancer, and he will be involved in two fundraisers during the next month to support the least-funded form of cancer.
One of the fundraisers will help Wilson with his ongoing medical costs.
Former Wollongong lord mayor George Harrison, who battled cancer himself recently, and his son Andrew wanted to recognise everything he has done for the Wollongong community.
The Lagoon Seafood Restaurant will host an event in coming weeks to honour the former member of the Four Kinsmen who performed for around half a century.
During that time he has played at many charity events and even this weekend was hoping to honour a commitment to perform at a bowel cancer event.
Now he has been named ambassador for the Blue Mile Dash on June 19 to raise funds and awareness.
The dash annually attracts support from the business community, which enters teams of four to help fund treatment for brain cancer, a disease that kills more children than any other disease and more people under 40 than any other cancer.
Beth Abbey was only 19 when she was diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2011 and surgery was only able to remove two-thirds of the tumour.
But she survived and started a Facebook page for brain cancer awareness called a #adeadlyshadeofgrey to raise awareness in the hope of eliminating the negative stigma having a brain tumour can have for sufferers.
"There is a 21.9 per cent survival rate to reach five years so I am really lucky to be where I am," Ms Abbey said.
"It is important to get the message out there because it is a really common cancer that affects a lot of people, but many are not aware of it. It is good to have someone like Graham raise the profile for it in the community."
Bob Coombes and his wife Susan Coombes became ambassadors for the Blue Mile Dash in 2014 in honour of their son Michael, who died of brain cancer 39 in February 2013.
Mr Coombes asked Wilson to be an ambassador this year after inviting him to take part in the Blue Mile Dash in 2014 as part of Team Michael, which was the top fundraiser.
