National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering and will be held on 15 – 21 May 2023. The theme for National Volunteer Week 2023 is The Change Makers.
The week-long event recognises the vital support that the millions of volunteers in our country provide to their communities and encourages people to consider volunteering.
National Volunteer Week 2023 is a celebration of our power to drive change and ensure volunteering is inclusive of all members of the Australian community.
To celebrate National Volunteer Week at Cancer Council WA we would like to highlight the amazing work of three Cancer Council WA volunteers.
Roy Dahlstrom
Roy is one of Cancer Council WA’s long-term volunteers who has been with us for nearly a decade. Roy drives cancer patients from our Dot’s Place Cancer Support Centre in Bunbury to their health appointments as part of our Transport to Treatment program.
When asked what he enjoys most about being a Cancer Council WA volunteer, Roy said, “I like interacting with the staff at Dot’s Place Bunbury and talking with the patients that I drive as part of the Transport to Treatment program. Most of the patients have a very positive outlook. I feel good helping them and I can feel the appreciation from them, it is a very positive energy. It also keeps me grounded and gives me good perspective in my life.”
Roy also finds it fascinating to listen to the stories of the patients he drives. “When I get talking, it’s so interesting to listen to their stories. It gives them someone to chat to, and I enjoy listening”, says Roy.
Carine Leeflang
We have nominated Carine for Volunteer of the Year for the 2023 WA Volunteer Awards. Presented by RAC, this award celebrates an individual who has made an exemplary voluntary contribution over the past two years and who, through their volunteering, has made a significant impact in their community.
Carine has been a dedicated volunteer with us since 2007, tirelessly providing essential support to our critical everyday administration functions and also to our Wig Service, which provides free headwear for people affected by cancer.
Additionally, Carine joined our volunteer Sewing Team, which supports our Wig Service by handmaking turbans for cancer patients. Carine has already contributed over 340 hrs of service to the Sewing Team and has even donated suitable materials for turban making, for which we are truly grateful.
Carine is a highly-valued volunteer and extremely talented person. We are honoured to have had Carine volunteer with us since 2014 and would love for her to be recognised even more broadly for her kindness.
Wendy Maslin
We were proud to nominate Wendy for the Lifetime Contribution to Volunteering Award. This award celebrates an individual who has made an exemplary life-long contribution to volunteering over the past 20+ years, and who through their volunteering has contributed to the betterment of the WA community.
Wendy and her friend Margaret-Ann founded Relay for Life Bunbury in 2003, and Wendy has continued to actively serve on the Relay for Life Bunbury Southwest committee ever since. Relay for Life is a worldwide event that raises funds for Cancer Council, but all funds from each event stay within the region where it is held, bringing massive support to the local community as a result.
Wendy has been the Relay for life Bunbury Logistics Coordinator for many years. Thanks to her skills and dedication, the Relay for Life Bunbury Southwest event has been able to raise over $4.4m over the last 20 years with her as the driving force.
Wendy is the heartbeat of Relay for Life Bunbury. She has been designated the title “Mother of Relay” as she not only brought Relay for Life to Bunbury, but has been instrumental in cultivating a strong, dynamic committee that has lasted for over 21 years.
In recognition of Wendy’s extraordinary commitment to Relay for Life, the Bunbury Relay for Life has created an annual award: the “Wendy Maslin Volunteer of the Year Award”, presented in Wendy’s name.
We are incredibly grateful for volunteers like Roy, Carine and Wendy, who work tirelessly to support West Australians affected by cancer.
If you’re interested in volunteering with us or would like to find out more, please visit here for more information.