WHEN you first meet Adam “Rocket” Gee it’s hard to believe he is fighting an aggressive brain tumour.
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Full of life, with a bright smile and shining blue eyes, Mr Gee, 29, is easygoing and his love for his family is immediately obvious.
He grew up in Warrnambool with his father Bill, mother Marg McCorkindale and siblings Damian, Alyse and Rhiarna and worked at the family business, Norfolk Butchers.
“I always wanted a good life,” Mr Gee said.
“I tried to work hard when I was younger to have it and I always wanted kids. That’s the hardest part.”
A goods and services auction on Saturday night will be held at the Warrnambool Golf Club to raise money for Mr Gee.
A collision with a tree on his motorbike on Australia Day this year, lead to the cancer diagnosis.
After a few weeks of pain in his shoulder and neck, he went to his doctor, at the suggestion of his father and chiropractor.
The doctor originally said it was neck issues, before an MRI scan revealed the brain tumour.
In another devastating blow, Mr Gee’s sister Alyse took her own life in March.
“She was a beautiful girl,” Mr Gee said.
“It got to the stage where she had a lot of issues. We never thought it could happen. When I got the phone call I was in shock. It was hard.”
Mr Gee has undergone two brain surgeries with the second procedure removing parts of the tumour.
“Nothing can fix it completely, but the surgery can make it a little bit better,” he said.
Mr Gee finished radiation last Monday in Geelong and his doctors have told him he could live for the next six months to five years.
“In all honesty I haven’t felt down once,” he said.
“I feel more for my family and friends. You just have to hope for the best. At the end of the day hopefully everyone is not too sad because I will be with Alyse. It’s still hard for everyone. It’s no good getting down about it, that just makes other people sad.”
Ms McCorkindale said her son was keeping an incredibly positive outlook.
“His whole attitude gives him good standing,” she said.
“He won’t let it beat him. He is going to fight every step of the way.”
Money from the auction will go towards Mr Gee fulfilling his desire to travel the world.
“I’m going to Las Vegas in October for five nights with mates,” he said.
“Hopefully next year I will go to New Zealand and Canada. There are a few places I want to go, I want to go with family and friends. I always missed out on family holidays because I had to work. That was the hardest part.”
His advice for anyone with cancer is simple.
“Stay strong,” he said.
“There are so many things in life that are worse than this. I can still enjoy life at the moment without having too many worries. There are so many more people out there that have tougher lives.”
Typical of his upbeat outlook, Mr Gee isn’t fearful about his own future, but wants his family to be happy.
“I fear for everyone after I’m gone,” he said.
“They just have to stay strong then and know that I’m happy.”
He thanked his family and friends for the outstanding support he has received.
“There are so many people that have helped for the rally, all the love and support has been overwhelming,” he said.
The fundraiser is on Saturday night at the Warrnambool Golf Club from 7pm. Tickets are $10.
If you or someone you know is experiencing an emotional crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.