AWCF Board and Community Members

Geoff’s involvement with the Albury Wodonga Cancer Foundation extends back over twenty years through his association with Mercy Albury.  In 1999 he joined the Mercy Palliative Care Volunteer Team which enabled him to understand the trials and difficulties faced by people on the cancer journey and the affect that this diagnosis has on the wider family.  Simultaneously to that role, Geoff had the opportunity, with the support of the Sisters of Mercy Goulburn, to lead the ‘Mercy Million Building Appeal” to raise $1.75 million to refurbish the Mercy Building to establish the Palliative Care Centre on lever 4 and the Healthy Ageing Unit on level 2.

When Commonwealth funding was guaranteed to establish the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre, the Foundation formed the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund in 2012.  Geoff was the inaugural Secretary of the Trust Fund until he retired in 2018.

Geoff is also very passionate about palliative care locally today and into the future and along with Peter Tobin undertook to do an extensive study on palliative care in the region.

Peter was appointed Treasurer of the AWCF in 1998, two years after the AWCF commenced.  Peter came from a busy accountancy practice with KPMG and has now had 34 years involvement with the AWCF as treasurer and as a director in more recent years.

Peter has experienced his own cancer journey that commenced in 2008 with prostate cancer and understands the impact that this can have on everyday living.  

Peter runs the Financial Assistance Program that helps to pay expenses of patients diagnosed with cancer who suddenly find themselves with changed circumstances and leaves them financially struggling.  Peter is a very generous administrator of this wonderful assistance offered to patients in our region.

Peter was responsible for setting up the original Cancer Support Services website that pointed people to local support services and other information.  

Peter and Geoff Smith undertook an extensive palliative care review to look at current and future palliative care in the region and to enhance that service offered locally. They are now lobbying to have their recommendations adopted  to ensure Border residents receive an enhanced palliative care service.

Sharon brings to AWCF experience from the Palliative Care sector of Mercy Health, having worked with Mercy Health for 15 years, which includes the last 5 years with Mercy Palliative Care as Administration Assistant and in the position of Secretary for AWCF.  

Sharon has a caring nature and you will find her delivering acts of kindness throughout her day to patients and their families.  Sharon often assists families with their needs and comforts them as required.  Sharon forms part of the cohesive team at Mercy Health.

Sharon does an amazing job of minute taking and providing the agenda etc for the Foundation meetings.  We are very grateful to Mercy Health for allowing Sharon to be a part of the Foundation in this way.

Jude has been a very valuable participant and Board Director of the Foundation for over six years while directly working in the field of patient care and has only just recently retired from her position as McGrath Breast Care nurse after almost 13 years.  The breast care nurse position is to provide support and information to people who have had a breast cancer diagnosis and their family and friends.  Frequently Jude would hear of people with other cancers commenting that they too would like a specialist nurse to support them and she fully empathised with them.  Because Jude was working in the day to day cancer space, she bought valuable insight from her workdays to the meetings of the AWCF.

Jude has found it particularly rewarding to have been one of the AWCF board members over the past few years and to be involved in providing a bag of information and thoughtful gifts to people experiencing any form of cancer.

Stacey has qualifications in psychology and palliative care. She has worked previously in a regional palliative care team as the psychosocial support coordinator and various community health roles. More recently Stacey was the Healthy Ageing and Palliative Care Manager with Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network, where she developed a PCOC model of care for general practice, in collaboration with the PCOC team. Stacey joined the PCOC team as the National Education Lead in 2023. Stacey is particularly interested in improving access to timely, quality palliative care for all Australians.

Louisa brings to AWCF experience from the Palliative Care sector having worked with Mercy Health Albury for 32 years, inclusive of the last 28 years with Mercy Palliative Care.  

Louisa was originally a Clinical Nurse Specialist and in 2000 changed roles to Supports/Volunteer Coordinator. Louisa feels privileged to work with the MHA Palliative Care Team and highly values the large team of skilled palliative care volunteers.  Louisa’s Clinical Supports Role encompasses the holistic care of patients and their family.  Louisa was involved, from the early days, with the growth of the MHA and AWCF partnership and their combined vision to grow cancer services locally.