Katoomba cancer cartoonist could be our next Australian of the Year Local Hero

The Katoomba cafe owner and former Disney cartoonist was nominated for his work drawing and writing about childhood cancer and then distributing it for free.

The NSW award recipients were announced on Monday November 13 in a ceremony at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.

The Australian winner will be decided at a ceremony on Thursday January 25.

At the time of his state win, he told the Gazette: "It feels surreal, like it was a dream and now I'm back here making coffee like I've always done every day for 17 years. But it really did happen and I have the trophy in my hands to prove it."

Getting behind him is his church, St Hilda's in Katoomba, which will open to the public for the livestream from outside Canberra's Parliament House on January 25 from 7.30pm. St Hilda's Anglican Church is hosting the free event at their church at 68 Katoomba St in Katoomba.

"If I worked for a thousand years drawing things it would never repay what people have done for us," Mr Olsen said.

Nomination efforts were led by fellow Aussie cancer dad Jason Sotiris. Mr Sotiris and Mr Olsen were "cancer dads" together at Sydney's Westmead Hospital.

Olsen's daughter, Jane, was two when she was diagnosed. He admits it was like "hell on earth". She endured a year of chemotherapy treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma - a cancerous tumour that develops in the body's soft tissues, usually the muscles.

While he sat alongside her hospital bed, he began drawing about the procedures to help other young sufferers. Much of the current material about cancer is targeted at adults.

The 44-year-old's works have gone viral and been downloaded about half a million times and translated into about 25 languages. For him it has all been about awareness about childhood cancer treatment.

He's hoping through the recognition he can also encourage eligible others to sign up to be stem cell donors through Strength to Give. (STG have identified the word "marrow" as problematic and much has changed in the last ten years for donors. It's now as simple a procedure as giving blood.)

Jane, now 10, has been in remission since May 2017.

Mr Olsen said: "It's a privilege ... to contribute to these children's lives in a positive way. The same team that saved my daughter's life are now using my material, that was a powerful moment for me."

In his day job Mr Olsen is the barista of CafeXpresso kiosk at Katoomba station and draws cartoons between lattes.

In a statement on their website St Hilda's church has said: "We are so proud to host this livestream of the Australian of the Year awards. We love Angus Olsen and everything he does to serve our St Hilda's community, our town and families across the world."

The Olsens have had visitors from all around the world visit their Katoomba cafe to meet the man who helped their family through their own experience of childhood cancer.

"I think they get a bit shocked to see 'the studio' and it's just a guy in a little hole in the wall, a little shabby cafe," Rachel, his wife, said laughing

"I'm just a guy with an iPad. It's all heart," he added.

Mr Olsen's cartoons are available through Redkite which provides counselling and financial assistance for families of children with cancer and also at I Draw Childhood Cancer.