Blue Mountains News

This community led service is enabled through the generosity of all who donate or frequent the two local Op Shops, attend fundraising events, sponsor, or volunteer time and skills to a common purpose and was recognised at the recent Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence (WSABE) Social Enterprise Award for 2022, which was held last month.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Wednesday, 30 November 2022 at the Robyn Yates Centre, Leura appointed five new Directors to join the remaining office holders on the CWS Board.

Dr Ilse Blignault, Chair, believes “ With a new skills-based Board, a new CEO, our wonderful therapists, staff and volunteers, and the support of the community, we are looking forward to 2023. As our Founder, Robyn Yates, was fond of saying, with the community we can achieve anything.”

Bob Yates and Kevin Stapleton, founding members of Cancer Wellness Support stepped down as part of the process, and were acknowledged for all they had contributed and achieved in setting up the organisation. As key institutional knowledge holders, it is intended they will contribute to sub-committees that will be established in 2023 to support realisation of the strategic vision.

Deborah Shepherd who has taken on the new CEO role was drawn to Cancer Wellness Support’s overall purpose, values and the ability to provide accessible complementary health to the local community.

“It was the opportunity to be part of something tangible that demonstrated the strength of community and supported those at critical times of need that really spoke to me, and inspired me to be part of the Cancer Wellness Support team” Shepherd said.

In Australia, it is estimated that up to two-thirds of cancer patients utilise “at least one form of complementary therapy during or after their cancer treatment.”

In a recent study, several participants believed complementary therapies helped them survive a “terminal” diagnosis, while others described the way it assisted them to manage secondary cancer-related health problems or existing problems that were exacerbated by the cancer. The main barrier identified to access this support by 82% of survey respondents was financial constraints, where nearly half said it was their only obstacle.

Since 2005, Cancer Wellness Support has been part of the Blue Mountains and Penrith Valley community, offering subsidised complementary therapies to enable accessibility to all, while playing a role alongside the medical profession and specialist services, to enable a whole person approach.