To watch Samuel Johnson and his sister Connie Johnson do "snow angels" in a sea of five cent pieces on the Lyneham netball courts during Love Your Sister's Big Heart Project in 2017, was to witness unbridled joy.
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The siblings were thrilled by the response to the day of fundraising - which ultimately raised more than $2 million for cancer research - as people around the nation donated their spare five cent pieces. An estimated 50 million coins were tossed onto the netball courts during that day.
The pair was on a high. Samuel had just won the Gold Logie for the most popular personality on Australian television. Connie, frail but elated, had seen a fundraising dream, conjured up around the kitchen table at her home in Kaleen, come true. Four months later, on September 8, 2017, Connie succumbed to almost a lifetime of cancer, passing away aged 40.
To mark the fifth anniversary of her death, Samuel is returning to Canberra next month to celebrate all their wins - not least that the charity they founded, Love Your Sister, is still going strong, raising more than $15 million for medical research since its inception in 2012.
Canberra was Connie's adopted home town and the Big Heart Project had been her last hurrah.
"Connie rescued our charity with five cent coins," Samuel said, with typical candour.
"We were tracking badly before that fundraiser. I promised her and the country I'd raise $10 million and the way we were going, I was going to hit $10 million in 2042. Like, I did the numbers.
"So the Big Heart Project holds the most special place in our hearts because it wasn't just a fabulous swansong for Con, it wasn't just a sweet way to celebrate a Gold Logie win, it was like a defibrillator for our charity.
"And because there's history of charities fading, once the founder dies, me and my sister were a little bit scared we'd go kaput.
"We grew really quickly so we were struggling to keep up with that growth and worried we might peter out after her demise.
"So to be back, in full swing, celebrating her in Canberra, in her home town, it warms the heart because, to be honest, we were both really worried about this charity when she died.
"And exactly what we wanted has happened - it's gone from strength to strength and we're fulfilling the mission she had, which is to provide precision medicine to all patients as soon as possible. And we're going at a fair clip when it comes to that."
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Samuel does love a chat. And he's been talking for more than a decade to help "vanquish" cancer, kickstarting Love Your Sister by riding a unicycle around Australia and raising almost $1.5 million for the charity. He's always been a positive force.
"Life is a wringer and you don't get to decide which curve ball hits you on some idle Tuesday and knock your socks off. But one thing you can control is how you respond to such things," he said.
"In Connie's case, she had cancer in her leg at 11, she had a cancer in her womb at 22, and terminal breast cancer at 33. So, I can't really control if my sister gets cancer but I can control how I respond to it. And it's important we turn those negs into pos'. At the end of the day, none of us are immune. This shit is going to happen."
Connie loved Canberra. Her sons, Willoughby and Hamilton, are still living here with their father. They are doing well, Samuel says.
"Connie and I lost our mum, so she wanted to see those kids through. Cancer interrupted that. They're teenagers now, 15 and 16, and they will have always lost their mum. But that hardcore grief is over," Samuel said.
Back in Canberra next month, Samuel will be at two events.
The first, An Evening with Samuel Johnson, will be held at Eastlake Gungahlin at 6pm on Friday, September 9. He'll talk about the challenges and the inspirations, tell "Connie's biggest secret". And make people laugh.
"That's a fun time," he said. "I tell some filthy showbiz yarns. Coarse language is guaranteed ... The feedback has been the show's a lot funnier than they thought it would be."
And the Love Your Sister Family Fun Day will be held on Sunday, September 11 from 10am to 3pm at the Lyneham netball courts. There will be music, stalls and lots of activities for the kids.
Canberrans are being asked, in the meantime, to start fundraising for Love Your Sister, whether it's at work, school or in your community.
It could be a crazy hair day, rattling a tin or getting mates to sponsor your personal fundraising, all to help Love Your Sister vanquish cancer.
Johnson said 100 per cent of proceeds raised would go to cancer research "no skimming, no admin, no BS".
The link to the Canberra events and more information on how to fundraise is here.
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