Celebrating 35 years of giving - Karen Inch volunteering for 40 years!

This year, Townsville Hospital and Health Service’s official charity, Brighter Lives, turns 35.

Over the 35 years, the foundation has donated equipment, delivered projects and funded research that has benefited the north Queensland region.

In 2024, Brighter Lives has 120 volunteers who help around the hospital in Townsville, as well as at Kirwan campus, in Charters Towers and in Home Hill. Over the past three decades, many volunteers have given hours of their time, helping direct people to their appointments, driving the courtesy buggies, lend a caring ear among many other helpful roles.

Brighter Lives’ longest-serving volunteer is Karen Inch. This year, Karen has been volunteering at the hospital for 40 years, which keen readers would note is longer than the foundation has existed!

Karen’s volunteer journey started in 1984 when Lorraine Arnold, a radiographer, felt there was a need for patients attending the Special Clinics Department. At that time, there was no oncology service in north Queensland, so specialists flew to Townsville every Thursday to review patients from all over the north. With sometimes long waiting times, there was a need to provide some nourishment, along with a friendly face, to comfort patients while they waited for the specialist appointment. Karen was the first to put up her hand and help.

Karen, alongside other volunteers, would bake homemade biscuits and slices served on fine bone crockery for patients in the waiting room. Swapping stories and recipes, Karen helped comfort and reduce a bit of the stress for patients awaiting their medical update.

When the Kirwan Ladies Hospital was established, Karen volunteered her services there one day a week. Helping fill the gap of a shortage of staff, Karen assisted with administration work such as photocopying, sending faxes and making up files.

With the establishment of an Oncology Unit in Townsville, Karen returned to her original passion of volunteering with those with cancer. The original home-made treats and crockery are no more, but Karen has continued to be a pillar of strength for those waiting for their appointment, serving cups of tea and lending a compassionate ear for those in the Cancer Centre waiting room.

Thank you to Karen and all our remarkable volunteers who have given their time over the past 35 years!

Brighter Lives wouldn’t be able to deliver their services without their volunteers and couldn’t support volunteers without donations.

To celebrate our 35 years of giving, we’re hosting a Giving Day on 24 October. To continue giving back to the NQ community and funding equipment, projects and research that benefit NQ locals, we're asking for your help! Join as an individual or a team to fundraise or donate now:

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For more info, visit www.brighterlives.org.au/givingday or contact us on 4433 1337.