After a tough couple of years, that was the day Chris and Anna finally received the news that their eldest son William was all clear after being diagnosed with bone marrow failure at just three weeks of age.

But in a cruel twist of fate, March 13 was also the day Chris Reilly discovered he had bowel cancer. 

The Pirron Yallock family endured an emotional rollercoaster on that day, Mr Reilly said.

“I’m over it now,” he said.

“I was upset for the first month.

“My wife keeps me going. My kids keep me going.

“I try to keep healthy and fit.   I changed my diet and I try to stay positive.”

Mr Reilly has since been through radiotherapy, chemotherapy and major surgery as the cancer progressed to stage four. 

“People with my condition, six per cent will survive more than five years,” the 34-year-old father-of-two explained. 

He said he hoped to turn his experience into a way to help others.

“I understand the emotional ride people go through (with cancer) so I might be a support person.” 

The family has also become spokespeople for the Leukaemia Foundation’s Building of Hope campaign, which aims to raise money for a new Victorian patient accommodation centre.

“The Leukaemia Foundation put us up for five or six months in Melbourne while Will had his treatment,” Mr Reilly said.

“We couldn’t have done that financially and been with Will at the same time — we would have had to split the family up.”

The new centre would feature a further 15 apartments across the road from the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre to help cope with the Leukaemia Foundation’s accommodation waiting list.

Mr Reilly will have another scan in December before more chemotherapy next year.

In the meantime, the south-west community has rallied behind the Reillys and organised a fund-raising event at the Colac East Hotel on December 4.

The event has already sold out. Organisers said the dinner and auction began with a capacity of 80 seats but demand pushed it up to 120 tickets.

“I’m very humbled by the work everyone’s done,” Mr Reilly said, adding his family was grateful for the fund-raising efforts.

“I haven’t worked since March this year. My wife is a full-time mum.

“She’s a great support. We’ve also got great family support and great friends.”

Although the fund-raiser is sold out, people can still email reillyfamilyfundraiser@gmail.com and make a donation.