Life is lost when your minutes and days drag on without purpose, when your mind forfeits passion for bitterness and regret.

Noel Raynes has terminal cancer, his lungs being ravaged by the wretched disease mesothelioma.

But he remains a man of passion.

He knows there are only so many tomorrows for him, and he’s determined to embrace them all.

Don’t ask him how many he has until he says goodbye.

He doesn’t know. Or care.

He has the countenance of man at peace with himself.

When he says, “I’m 77, so it’s been a decent innings”, he seems to mean it.

The founder of iconic local band the Tin Shed Rattlers, Mr Raynes will leave a legacy of smiles, bringing old-time, down-home cheer to locals for near-on half a century.

In 1971, his fresh-faced band first played the Downside Monthly Bush Dance.

They’ve been doing it every month since.

The band’s next gig, and possibly its last with Mr Raynes, will be on Saturday night at Uranquinty Hall.

The event’s inspiration came from an unlikely place.

While sitting in an armchair receiving chemotherapy at Riverina Cancer Care Centre (RCCC) recently, Mr Raynes decided there and then he would host a shindig to raise money for the centre.

That the RCCC is a worthy cause is beyond question.

It owes its very existence to the extraordinary generosity and solidarity of this community.

And while it’s a private practice, it can only remain affordable with our continued support.

It has revolutionised the face of cancer treatment in Wagga, affording patients and their families the dignity – and reduced cost – of not having to travel to capital cities.

Mr Raynes’ event might not raise tens of thousands of dollars, but every dollar counts.

Sometimes we have to lose something to appreciate how much it really means.

And while the loss of good men like Noel Raynes will be rightly mourned, we can honour their memory by continuing to support the RCCC.

It starts this Saturday at the Quinty Hall.

So strap on your dancing shoes and help make that old tin shed rattle.