Ray Weber considers himself to be a lucky man.
Diagnosed with cancer in 2021, he was given six months to live.
“It was during covid and it was not a good time to get sick,” Ray said.
Ray sold his property, closed his earthmoving business down and gave his beloved bees to his good friend Dick Moloney.
Ray says his diagnosis with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma came as a shock.
“There was no ‘you’d better sit down here mate and I’ll have a bit of a yarn to you’ – they just tell you.”
His early treatment included a stem cell transplant where he was fortunate to be able to use his own stem cells.
“I was diagnosed early enough that the cancer hadn’t gotten into my bone marrrow system.”
He spent a month in hospital at the time and understates it as ‘pretty full on’; with chemotherapy also taking its toll on him.
A larrakin by nature, the diagnosis and treatment took its toll.
Living in Brisbane was difficult for Ray, but he credits Dick for seeing him through.
“For someone that’s in the bush to be put in there and covid was on … it’s just next level.”
Dick, who has battled depression, was a great support throughout, visiting even when Ray said he didn’t want to see people.
Ray says his doctor, Dr James Morton and the staff at the Mater Icon Cancer Centre are wonderful.
“The only way to describe them is earth angels. They always treat you lovely.”
“You never see a cranky nurse and they treat so many people.”
He repeats the words of Dr Morton as advice for everyone.
“If you feel something in your body and it doesn’t hurt you – get it checked out.”
Ray is working again but has immuno therapy treatment every month and takes a few jars of honey with him to give the doctors and nurses at the hospital.
His affection for the bees is obvious.
“You work out what they do to live – nobody would survive without them.”
“It’s amazing what they do for little fellas.”
“A bee can fly five kilometres and make about a quarter of a teaspoon of honey in the three or four weeks they live for,” he said.
Today, the bees Ray gave to Dick make Blue Tree Honey, which Dick sells through Mitre 10 and Scenic Rim Discount Drug Store.
The profits are donated to people in the community who are being treated for cancer or depression.
Ray and Dick remain firm friends, having a laugh with each other often because, as Dick says, “Everybody loves Raymond.”
