Yellow shirt helpers brighten day
KNOWN as the yellow brigade because of their distinctive yellow shirts, Allan and Betty Sayce are part of the big- hearted Townsville Hospital Foundation volunteers of all ages who look after visitors to the hospital.
Mr Sayce and wife Betty, who are both 79, started volunteering about four years ago when he discovered he had prostate cancer.
Mr Sayce’s continuing battle with cancer was motivation for him to reach out to others going through a cancer journey.
“I said to Betty we should join the yellow shirts at the hospital and get behind the scenes so that we could find out what the problems are – and it’s the best thing we’ve ever done,” he said.
“Through volunteering it makes you realise it’s not just the person who has the disease.
“It also affects partners and the whole family.
“So that’s where we work – on helping the patient who gets all the attention but also helping carers by listening to them and helping them to cope, with a shoulder to cry on.
“Our role is more than dishing out cups of tea, coffee or biscuits.
“Because we’ve been through cancer treatment, we have empathy for what others are going through.”
Lung cancer survivor Doug Cannon, 77, knows what it is like to battle cancer and survive, so now he and wife Cecilia are also giving back to patients and carers.
Cecilia, 70, serves at the little hub shop while Mr Cannon volunteers in radiation on Thursday mornings making tea and coffee and on Fridays he drives the hospital buggy.
“It’s good to keep your mind and body active because we’re there serving and supporting others,” Mrs Cannon said.
The foundation’s volunteers manager Anita Hammon said they were an essential part of Townsville Hospital.
“It is a special kind of person who gives up time for others, yet at the foundation there are more than 153 special volunteers averaging 672 hours of volunteering per week,” she said.
To find out more about the hospital’s volunteers program contact Anita on 4433 1337 or visit www.thfoundation.org.au