The 35-year-old’s toughest point was going to sleep in a hospital ward one Thursday night and waking up in intensive care two days later after he stopped breathing.

“The nurse only just found me in time but they were really surprised by my positive attitude. I just thought ‘well I’m still alive and obviously there are people out there worse than me’,” Mr Cameron said.

His battle began at the end of 2010 when he began getting rushed to emergency with severe stomach cramps. A colonoscopy showed a tumour the size of an orange. 

Within a week, Mr Cameron was operated on and he began radiation and chemotherapy treatment. However, a scan two months later found the tumour had not only grown but was now attached to his spine but it was able to be successfully removed.

A year later, he noticed a lesion on his tongue and, two weeks later, a lump on his neck – both of which were cancerous.

“The neck cancer was really, really aggressive. It grew from the size of a 10 cent piece to much larger in just a month and was attached to my carotid artery.”

His chemotherapy treatment was “the strongest stuff they had” which caused him to be hospitalised with vomiting and breathing problems, including his eventual ward collapse.

A year later, a “hot spot” in his bowel first discovered by a full body scan had grown and was also cancerous, again removed via operation.

This year, Mr Cameron is celebrating two years cancer free but admits the period over May and June is always a bit tough as this is the time of year when he was diagnosed each time.

“I’m starting to get moving again. I’m back on my motorcycle and I’m keeping myself motivated.”

Part of his motivation is his hobby, leather crafting, and his passion to help the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre in any way he can.

“After everything they’ve done for me, I just want to give back.”

Mr Cameron makes leather belts, flask sets, stubby holders and motorcycle straps and raffles them off, raising nearly $2000 for BRICC so far. And he is further supporting the cause by taking part in Dry July.

Ballarat Health Services foundation and fundraising director Geoff Millar said events like Dry July enabled them to make the patient experience “a lot better”.

“We can do all those extra things that basic medicine doesn’t do,” Mr Millar said.

To donate to the BRICC Dry July appeal, go to dryjuly.com and register for BRICC.