From cancer to courage: One Bunbury inspires hope
Announcement posted by Invigorate PR 03 Nov 2025
The journey through cancer can be lonely, exhausting and deeply confronting. It can strip away independence, identity and even friendships as people around you often do not know what to say, how to show up or how to help.
For Bunbury photographer and filmmaker Ben Yew, this experience became the catalyst for something extraordinary. During treatment and recovery, Ben searched for words of comfort and strength. He found that the right message at the right moment could shift his mindset just enough to keep going.
He realised that words can be powerful. So powerful they can hold someone together on their hardest day.
Ben wanted to collect those kinds of words and share them with others who were struggling. But instead of turning to celebrities or well-known figures, he turned to everyday Australians. Ordinary people who had overcome illness, heartbreak, grief, business failure, trauma or loss. People who had found a way to stand back up.
The result is One Bunbury: The Book, a moving collection of quotes, reflections and personal insights from more than 100 locals.
A journey that began with cancer
Ben's cancer journey was a turning point. He said he felt everything collapsing at once: his body, his work, his confidence and the life he had carefully built.
"As I tried to process it all, I found myself repeating a phrase: Why me? Why not me? That shift helped me move from grief to acceptance. It reminded me to be grateful that I was the one dealing with this and not my children. That perspective saved me."
From pain to purpose and the return of his illness
Ben realised that if one powerful message could help him, many messages could help others. He began reaching out to people across Bunbury, asking them one question, what is the insight that helped you survive your hardest moment?
The responses were raw, honest and deeply human.
"The responses were incredibly moving. I brought them together in the book to showcase their power. Since doing this, my cancer has returned. My next fight is well and truly underway."
A community-powered movement
Ben intentionally chose Bunbury voices. As a long-time local, he has always believed regional towns are filled with quiet strength and resilience.
"These stories are proof that courage is everywhere. You do not need to be famous to inspire someone. You just need to be human," he said.
"As the cancer has returned, I am now drawing strength from the book to help me through. I originally created it to help others and I am now finding that it is also helping me."
The book is now available at onebunbury.com.au and marks the beginning of a larger storytelling movement Ben plans to grow throughout Australia and beyond.
He hopes future editions will form One Perth, One Geraldton, One Adelaide, One Manila, One London - a global network of communities inspiring one another through real lived experience.
More than a book
Proceeds from the project will support future storytelling initiatives including short films, mentoring, workshops and eventually, an inspirational scholarship program for young people.
"This is for anyone who is fighting. Anyone who is tired. Anyone who needs to be reminded that they are not alone," Ben said.
"This book is proof that hope exists in the ordinary and that sometimes the most powerful words come from the person standing next to you. This is certainly true in my case."
About Ben Yew
Ben Yew is a Bunbury-based photographer, filmmaker and creative consultant and the founder of the One Bunbury Project. Originally from Kuala Lumpur, Ben moved to Western Australia in 2008 seeking a slower, more meaningful life by the coast. A cancer survivor and award-winning visual storyteller, Ben is passionate about using authentic storytelling to inspire, uplift and connect communities. Through the One Bunbury Project, Ben is creating a global movement that celebrates the power of everyday people and their stories. His work blends creativity, purpose and a deep belief in the beauty of human experience.
October 2025: Ben has just been informed by his medical team that his cancer has returned.