A beloved firefighter lost suddenly to cancer has been farewelled in Ballarat.
47-year-old Matthew Hunt died on December 12 from a rare soft tissue sarcoma, an illness the United Firefighters Union of Australia claims was caused by his work as per the Herald Sun.
A guard of honour in the streets of Ballarat followed Matthew’s funeral on Thursday.
Matthew’s friend, work colleague and brother-in-law Scott Gambino described the positive impact he had on the community.
“He just had a kind nature, he never got into any conflict and was just always so willing to help,” he said.
In 2020 special legislation was introduced and this year International Agency for Research on Cancer confirmed firefighters have the highest direct link of any cancer in any profession.
