In February, we paid a special but sad tribute to one of our very long term volunteers, Kitty McCallum who passed away recently.
Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation Dr Ken Chapman said Kitty was an absolute stalwart of the charity.
“Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Foundation and we all owe them a great debt for their service which has come at no cost to the community, but has been a huge gift,” Dr Chapman said.
Kitty was presented with a 30-year service badge by Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation Volunteer Program Manager Annette Jarrett at the end of last year.
Fellow volunteers recalled that Kitty was one of the founding volunteers at Cairns Hospital 31 years ago, observing nurses doing work that could be done by volunteers.
Kitty saw nurses folding letters, shoving them in envelopes and stamping them ready for posting.
She saw people wandering around asking staff how to get to appointments and decided to do something about it.
Kitty had many roles among the Foundation’s Purple Angels – including directing members of the public at the information desks or any role where she was needed.
She was known to have a favourite car parking space on the Cairns Esplanade and because she never wanted to miss out on it, she would arrive very early, get her park and eat her breakfast until it was time to cross the road and start her shift.
In the latter years of her volunteering, she worked in the ante-natal ward, preparing packs for mums-to-be.
Thank you, Kitty.
Photo: Kitty pictured with CHHHS CE Tina Chinery, former Foundation CEO Tony Williamson and Foundation chairman Dr Ken Chapman.
