Parliamentary Secretary for Health Georgie Crozier joined BreaCan and thousands of organisations around the nation to mark the 24th anniversary of National Volunteer Week in Australia. This year’s campaign theme “Thanks a Million” is all about celebrating the work of volunteers across the nation.
BreaCan hosted a morning tea to recognise the valuable contribution of its peer support and program support volunteers, some of whom have been volunteering for over 10 years. The BreaCan peer support volunteers share more than their time, they share their personal lived experience of breast or a gynaecological cancer. Without them the organisation would not be able to support women diagnosed with cancer to live well during and beyond their cancer treatment.
MLC for the Southern Metropolitan Region, Georgie Crozier was suitably impressed by the dedication of the volunteers, acknowledging in her speech “the tremendous contribution of all volunteers to this service. You all do such an amazing job to support women going through traumatic times with all the expertise you bring. Congratulations to you all.” Georgie then presented specially designed framed certificates to each of the 10 year volunteers. At the conclusion of the presentations, attendees mingled while reflecting on the 10 years in which BreaCan has made positive differences to the lives of Victorian women affected by cancer.
One long time peer support volunteer commented that “even after 10 years of volunteering at BreaCan I have never taken for granted what it feels like to be diagnosed with breast cancer and how it feels to help support the women I meet and talk to on the phone.”
Kellie Holland, BreaCan Volunteer Coordinator said: “It’s great to be a part of National Volunteer Week 2013. It is a moment in time where all organisations like ours celebrate the exceptional and dedicated volunteers who give up their time and skills to help our organisation provide the services and support we do to people affected by breast, uterine, ovarian, cervical and other types of gynecological cancer.”
The State’s peak body for volunteering, Volunteering Victoria’s CEO, Sue Noble, commended BreaCan’s event to recognise the work of their volunteers: “There are more than 1.5 million volunteers in Victoria and six million nationally. We simply could not have the rich community life we do without them.”
