Simon Skurrie credits music with saving his life.
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The Horsham man has faced a number of battles and adversities in his relatively few years.
Skurrie was abused as a child. At 22, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. Three months after this diagnosis, tests found three tumours in his spine.
He needed radiation treatment and dietary changes to recover - all the while needing to be kept away from the fluorescent lighting and high-pitched noises ubiquitous in hospitals to prevent him from having seizures.
It took him four years to learn how to walk again and get back into normal life, which is when he picked up a guitar.
"It was my mum's high school guitar, and then we ended up getting another one from a garage sale for $15 and I started playing," he said.
"I just needed something else to put my mind to other than focusing on being sick all the time. The doctors were trying to get me to read books and things like that, but I didn't really have a passion for reading a novel about something I didn't really care about.
"So I found music and books of music, and just kept reading. Then my brain started to analyse different scenarios with music."
Now aged 37 and known across Victoria as "Skuzz", the musician plays multiple instruments, has performed a number of Wimmera gigs over the years, and teaches music to others with his business Skuzz's Music and Tutoring.
He is confident music saved his life, helping him heal when he began writing songs about his health struggles. Through his music he had also addressed the treatment he received as a child, referencing his experiences in the song "Home".
"A lot of stuff happened when we were younger that shouldn't have, and there weren't the advancements in those days to protect people like there are now," he said. "I just had too many hits to the head at a young age, which left scar tissue on my brain and also had an impact on the epilepsy."
Skurrie said he had not expected people to relate to his songs so strongly.
"People contact me all the time and stop me in the street, always commenting on a song they've related to, which is humbling," he said.
"You never think something so personal could be taken in by anyone else. People ring up crying saying how much it meant to them, and that's a pretty big thing.
"I'm probably my own worst critic when it comes to music, and my covers as well - I truly don't believe what people say when they comment nice things.
"But when people start singing your words back to you when you're just on the street, that's a pretty amazing experience."
Simon's first foray into music was as a child, when he played drums and bass in high school bands in Stawell.
"My sister donated some time to the Spastic Society of Victoria (now Scope) back when we were kids, and they put on a Wimmera entertainer of the year competition," he said. "I got together with a few mates and family and they taught us how to play some songs, and we mixed it all together in a medley. Three weeks later we came second.
"Then we travelled around the state pretty much, chasing the different competitions. I didn't do a great deal of performances when I was younger - lunchtime jams, birthdays, just a bit of fun - but I always had a passion for music."
The support Skurrie received became crucial after he was dealt yet another health blow.
"One day about three years ago I had a sharp pain in my arm and it just never went away," he said.
"Three months later I went into surgery to figure out what the hell was going on, and it turned out the ulna nerve was rubbing away against corner of my elbow, slowly getting filed down. The more I moved my arm, the more damage it was doing to the nerve.
"They operated but it clotted. Then I had another four surgeries to repair the damage, but it was gone.
"That was probably the worst thing because it sort of took everything away from me. I thought maybe it was my turn to sort of give up on this, but the music and the way people reacted to it convinced me not to."
Skurrie has lost movement in three of his fingers - and the ability to play piano - for the rest of his life, but is still able to hold a plectrum between his thumb and index finger to strum a guitar.
Though he has lost strength physically, Skurrie believes his strength of character is now healthier than ever.
He draws on his experiences regularly to build connections with his students, stressing to them the importance of dedication and adapting in getting better at their craft.
At the weekend, he will lead a chorus of patrons at Horsham's Bull and Mouth Hotel in a rendition of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" as part of Sing For Something.
The concept involves people raising money for a designated cause - in this case Brain Cancer - by providing their voice for a collective song. Skurrie said after a "rough trot" in life, he wanted to give back to every organisation that had helped him.
"There is not much I can do physically, but if there's something I can do musically, any groups I can support, I'd love to get involved," he said.
"Anything and everything to stop these situations from happening or help people find a way to get through it - that's where I want to head."
- If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, beyondblue on 1300 224 636 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.
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