Humble hero turns trash into cash for lifesaving research

Day after day, can after can, bin after bin.

If you live near South Australia’s Aldinga beach or have visited, chances are you’ve come across Roger Horne.

Mr Horne has dedicated up to 40 hours a week to collecting cans from more than 70 public and residential bins to raise money for cancer research.

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If you live down near South Australia’s Aldinga beach or visited, chances are you’ve come across Roger Horne.

“I take it to the recyclers, they pay me the money and I put it into a special bank account, and then it gets transferred across to the cancer research people,” he said.

He hasn’t kept a cent for himself, not even for costs.

“Whatever I collect, 100 per cent of it goes to cancer research,” he said.

“I take absolutely nothing out of it.”

It was a simple formula started by his late mate Don Dixon in 2002. Almost $200,000 has since been raised.

He calls it a drop in the ocean, but others see it differently.

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Mr Horne has dedicated up to 40 hours a week to collecting cans from more than 70 public and residential bins.

“I personally think that every can he collects is basically the start of a tsunami,” SA Pathology Professor Hamish Scott said.

His donations are funding the life-saving molecular research laboratory at SA Pathology.

The discoveries made at the pathology unit are world-leading and improving treatment and outcomes for South Australians with cancer.

“Thank you on behalf of cancer patients and cancer researchers and people involved in cancer treatment in South Australia,” Mr Scott said.

But it’s been hard work for Mr Horne, and now at 73, he wants to step away.

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His donations are funding the life-saving molecular research laboratory at SA Pathology working.

“I’m getting older now and things are getting harder, the aches and pains are coming in,” he said.

Mr Horne said after 17 years of collecting cans for cancer, the time has come to explore more of the great outdoors.

But before he drives off into the sunset, he’d like someone to take over.

“You’ve got to be pretty well committed because it’s a lot of hours and a lot of your time,” he said.

“It goes for a good cause so we just hope it does some good.”

Source: Thanks msn.com