Chair auction raises $550 for a worthy cause

Brett Morrison is "chuffed" with the $550 sale price for a chair he made to raise awareness of bowel cancer.

His chair, entitled Hope, along with chairs made by artists including Owen Dippie, Flox, Dick Frizzell, Shane Hansen, Reuben Paterson and Boh Runga, was auctioned as part of Bowel Cancer Awareness month. About $15,000 was raised.

Mr Morrison lost his wife, Sarah, to bowel cancer just over a year ago. Since then he has campaigned for greater awareness and more funding.

He said that even if he had raised $150 for the cause he would have been happy. He did not think his chair would fetch as much as it did.

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"I was quite chuffed with the outcome."

Mr Morrison said the campaign was not just about the funds, it was about raising awareness too. About 300 people in their 30s were diagnosed every year.

He said he was no Picasso but could pull together a good photo. The photo was printed on the backrest of the chair.

"It's taken in the sand dunes across the road from home, where Sarah and I would take our dog for a walk most nights ... I got into photography because she got too ill to leave the house. I would get pictures of the beach to take home for her to see, so she was still experiencing it with me."

- For more information on bowel cancer, head to: www.beatbowelcancer.org.nz