Amie died on November 9, 2009, just one day after her 23rd birthday, and in the decade since, her family has honoured her memory through the work of the Amie St Clair Melanoma Trust.

Mum Annette said Amie's cancer journey began in August 2007 - just before here 21st birthday - when she discovered a lump in her groin.

"Amie came to me and said 'Mum, I've got a lump in my groin', so I suggested she see her GP. She saw a GP - not her normal one - and that GP thought it might have been a haematoma. If you knew Amie, she was an aggressive sports girl, so you'd think that was possible," Mrs St Clair said.

"Over the next couple of days it got bigger and more painful, so I said she needed to go back and saw her normal GP, who recommended an ultrasound. That result came back recommending a biopsy.

"Within a fortnight, she'd seen two GPs, had an ultrasound, had a biopsy, seen a local surgeon, had a CAT scan and an appointment in Sydney with a surgeon to have basically a lymph node clearance, to have the lymph nodes removed from her groin."

Initially, Amie was well, but within months, she developed another lump in her right leg. This was the start of multiple surgeries and treatments as Amie battled the cancer. Doctors were never able to find the primary source of the melanoma.

At the same time as Amie was on her cancer journey, both of Mrs St Clair's parents were also both on their own cancer journeys.

"It was quite a difficult time," Mrs St Clair said.

After Amie died, the St Clair family decided to establish the trust, with the goal of supporting medical research and helping to provide better access to specialised care for communities in the region.

A decade after it was established, the St Clairs remain grateful for the level of support the trust has received from the community and Mrs St Clair, husband Peter and son Tim remain committed to it.

"At no stage did I think it would have become as big as it is," Mrs St Clair said.

While Mrs St Clair believes melanoma awareness and treatments have improved, but she said remains keen to see the services and treatments available to people in this region improved.

"As a nurse, there were things I recognised rural patients missed out on," she said.

The St Clair family also want to encourage others to ensure they have regular skin cancer checks.

"I don't like to see young people, particularly, out and about without taking proper precautions," Mrs St Clair said.