Eight-year-old Hunter Hamilton lives near Phillip Island, south-east of Melbourne.
Last year, Hunter was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour. He has since undergone major surgery and six weeks of radiation.
Throughout it all, his passion for footy and unwavering love for the Cats have kept his spirits high.
Remarkably, he continued playing footy throughout his treatment with local club Nar Nar Goon, chosen because its shares the same colours as his beloved AFL team Geelong.
Last Friday morning, Nova 100’s Jase & Lauren spoke to Hunter’s mum Kelly on-air during the show, where co-host Clint Stanaway revealed he’d been working behind the scenes to organise a truly unforgettable experience for Hunter.
Straight after the show, Clint headed down to GMHBA Stadium in Geelong to meet Hunter and his family, where the first of many surprises was waiting: a meet-and-greet with Hunter’s idol, Cats superstar Jeremy Cameron.
Jeremy gifted Hunter a brand-new #5 Cats guernsey on the spot.
From there, Clint took Hunter on a private tour through the inner sanctum of the club, the changerooms, the indoor training track for a kick of the footy and along the boundary line to watch the Cats train.
Hunter not only had his new guernsey signed by the entire Geelong team, he also joined them on the training track, including a private goal-kicking session with Jeremy Cameron himself.
Today on-air, Jase & Lauren revealed one last surprise: Jeremy has invited Hunter back later this season to run out with the team for a Cats home game – a lifelong memory in the making.
Jeremy said “Hunter’s a fantastic kid and it was great to have him out here. It was nice to have a really nice day for it and all the boys got around him which was perfect. He taught me a few things, actually kicked a couple of really nice dribble kicks from the boundary. He’s got really good skills!”
Kelly said “We knew this was his ultimate dream. With everything that he’s gone through, he doesn’t complain about anything so just something to brighten his day, it was amazing.”
Clint said “Hunter’s a brave 8-year-old boy who loves his sport and his Cats, and we wanted to surprise him with something he will never forget.”