During the one-day visit, the 35-year-old spread awareness of a melanoma-prevention device to honour his sister, Tess McGowan-Chan, who died in 2012 from the condition.

Ms McGowan-Chan was diagnosed while five months pregnant with her first baby just one year after marrying her best friend, Victor Chan.

She passed away at 31 years old, having battled the condition for 11 months.

Just days after she died, Mr McGowan started fundraising through cycling and other events and over the years has raised more than $100,000 toward melanoma research and prevention, which has included considerable support for Melanoma Institute Australia

Looking for a way to make a bigger difference, he started IAM Products in 2016 and invented ‘bakslap’, a sunscreen applicator to help people apply sunscreen on their backs and hard-to-reach places.

A crowdfunding campaign to raise $40,000 for the device is underway to help him realise his dream.

“The passing of Tess has allowed me to keep her memory alive and it [the device] is one of the many ways to honour her,” he said.

“The awareness of Melanoma that comes from talking about the product is why we’re doing it – it’s wonderful because it’s spreading it to a lot of people.

“So it’s been a blessing,” he said.

Asked about how the device came about, Mr McGowan said he noticed that people were not applying sunscreen in the middle of their backs, resulting in sunburn.

“People told me they couldn’t reach their backs, so I thought we needed to do something to solve that.

“Sometimes the solutions are quite simple,” he said.

The device took about three years of research and development.

“Now we’re at that final stage, which is why we’re doing the campaign – to involve the community in an issue that affects many of us.

“With their support, we may be able to complete production and make it available before this summer,” Mr McGowan said.

His latest Wagga visit included Aime St Clair Melanoma Trust and Mater Dei Catholic College.

Peter St Clair at Amie St Clair Melanoma Trust welcomed Mr McGowan’s initiative, saying it would help those affected.

“We’re here to help Raphael promote his invention – we think it’s amazing.

“It’s a pretty simple device to help prevent melanoma, which is what we’re all about,” he said.

Mr St Clair said he hoped the Riverina people “get behind him and help donate towards the production of his idea”.

“We think it’s going to be successful and hope to be some part of him achieving his dream,” he said.

Mr McGowan’s other aim was to tell people that no one should have to experience the pain and suffering that he and his family did.

“Managing Tess's pain was the hardest part during those 11 months, especially in the final stages.

“You don’t ever want to see you sister or a loved one in pain like that. You feel helpless.

“It was confronting seeing Tess go through this, but it also motivated me to do something about melanoma," he said.

Mr McGowan’s family lived in the region for many years and the community supported his fundraising efforts for melanoma prevention.

In 2014 during his participation in Cycling to March, the community donated more than $5000 towards what he was doing.