Our eldest grandchild, Jack, gave us a terrible fright when he was born five weeks premature and required the expert care of the Special Care Nursery. The incredible staff and specialized equipment available got him fit, strong, and meeting the expected milestones in no time. My daughter, and all of our family, would have needed to be transferred to Melbourne for this type of care.

My dear dad, had a short, difficult battle with lung cancer in 1985 before his passing the following year. He received incredible care from Geelong’s public hospital on several occasions but, at the time, there was no dedicated cancer service locally so he had to travel up the highway to Melbourne to receive regular treatment. I remember how tough this was on our family, and how tiring it was for Dad.

This gap in healthcare motivated my mum, Joyce Johnson, to join Geelong’s Cancer After Care Group which raised funds for a dedicated cancer service to be established. She started out in a secretarial position and went on to become one of Barwon Health’s longest serving volunteers, dedicating more than 30 years of her life to improving cancer care for the region.

I am proud to say that she was one of the members whose advocacy and fundraising facilitated the opening of Barwon Health’s Andrew Love Cancer Centre in 1992. I still get a little teary thinking of her passion - it makes my heart burst with pride. She loved giving back to her community and continued to do so until after her 90th birthday.

Her journey with the health service is a shining example of the reason we should give back whenever we can to ensure that the best possible facilities, equipment, care and cutting edge research is available to us locally when we need it most.

My daughters and I shared many nights with mum at Barwon Health Foundation’s annual Catwalk4Cancer fundraiser, which was an anticipated date on our family’s calendar for more than 10 years. She loved to get dressed up, bid on auction items and spend an evening with like-minded people for a good cause. They are some of our favourite memories.

Last year was our first time attending without Mum and, although it was difficult, I am proud to continue supporting the Barwon Health Foundation as a way of carrying on my mum’s legacy.

In everybody’s life, there will be a time when you will need the care of Barwon Health services – it could be emergency hospital visit, cancer treatment or maybe the joyous time of welcoming a new baby or a grandchild. Our various experiences at Barwon Health have been nothing short of exceptional but it wouldn’t have been possible without community donations to support that extra level of comfort and care.

This tax time, please donate generously to the Barwon Health Foundation so they can continue caring for generations of my family, and yours.

Thank you
Jayne Tompkins