THERE was something magical about Connie Johnson's Big Heart Project on a Canberra netball court on Wednesday.
Five cent pieces glinted in the autumn sun, the sense of camaraderie was palpable, the gratitude to a woman dying from breast cancer and her little brother, immense.
People were joyful but also thoughtful as they tossed five cent pieces on to a huge heart of coins on one of the courts. By nightfall, the heart had become a big silver lake of hope and generosity.
More than $2 million was raised for cancer research and a world record set for the biggest heart made from five cent pieces.
The heart itself had more than $300,000 in coins and the other money came from online and in-bank donations from around Australia and New Zealand.
"I've never felt so much love in my life," an elated Connie said.
"Everyone who is here is here for love, for passion, a cure. There's sadness, there's celebration."
The Canberra mother-of-two has terminal, late-stage breast cancer and recently decided to end all treatment.
But, as she retreats from public life and her fundraising and advocacy for the Love Your Sister organisation to concentrate on her own family, she wanted to go out in a big way.
"It kind of feels like a victory lap for Con," her brother Samuel said.
"A chance for her to go, 'You know what?' We kicked cancer in the face and we might as well grab another million before I'm done'. I just think it's so classy."
All money raised from Wednesday's event will go to the Garvan Institute into breast cancer research and other research projects on a range of other cancers.
"Whether it's 'rare', whether it's 'popular', whether it's 'trendy'. I hate all cancer and, as far as I'm concerned, they can all go and get stuffed," Samuel said.
"When I see on our social [media>[/embedp>