But he died two years later.
His experience fuelled her desire to see more people talk about bowel health. "I guess it's a taboo thing and we are embarrassed about it. "
Billing said of the chair she had created for the fundraiser. "It's just a series of thoughts, one thing leading to another. I have a chair, I have Garry, I have Star Wars ... I'm drawing on my own creative catalogue and putting all of these things together.
"It's just kinda fun, not serious at all. And that's what Garry was like, too."
An online auction will kick-off on Thursday as part of Bowel Cancer Awareness month.
The chairs will be for sale on Trade Me until June 12.
In this week's Budget, the Government announced $39.3 million over four years for a national bowel cancer screening programme for people aged 60-74. Each year 1200 New Zealanders die of the disease.