Zane’s smile ‘the only thing that matters’

A Dadswells Bridge couple has put a ‘smile on the dial’ of a young boy with terminal brain cancer by arranging a family-friendly weekend of activities.

Old Dadswell Town owners Max and Jenny Green welcomed Zane and his family from South Australia at the weekend.

Mr Green said Zane, 5, was the grandson of close friends of the couple.

“Zane was diagnosed with brain tumours at the age of two,” he said.

“After two operations and some serious chemotherapy, things looked good. But the rotten cancer has come back and it’s not going away this time. So, we took it on ourselves to put a smile on his dial.”

Zane made the journey with his mother Lauren and sister Amalia, 8, along with Lauren’s partner and his two children. The Greens organised a drive through the Grampians on Friday, a visit from a fire truck – complete with lights flashing and siren blaring – yabbying and a campfire beside a dam.

On Saturday the visitors went to Warracknabeal for drag racing.

“The police Beat the Heat team really looked after the kids,” Mr Green said.

“We also had a quick look at the painted silos and then we were off to Halls Gap Zoo, where everyone had a great time.”

Mr Green said he enjoyed helping people have fun.

“Everything we did at the weekend was to put a smile on Zane’s face. It was the only thing that mattered,” he said.

“He and his family had a great weekend and went home exhausted.”

The Greens paid tribute to Zane in their winning Paint The Town Purple display.

The campaign raises awareness of the Cancer Council’s annual Relay for Life fundraiser.

Mr Green, who has overcome bowel cancer, said cancer did not discriminate.

“I never thought it would happen to me,” he said.

“I’m just a good survivor, but with Zane, well, it just breaks your heart.”

The Greens will enter a team from Dadswells Bridge in the 2019 Horsham and District Relay for Life, at Dock Lake Reserve on March 15 and 16.