Geelong’s Barb Speldewinde is a long-standing and dedicated Fight Cancer Foundation volunteer. She works closely with community members through roles at the foundation’s Geelong West recycle shop and Footy Colours Day fundraiser. Barb speaks with Independent’s Jena Carr about her love for Geelong and the importance of volunteering.
What is your connection to Geelong?
I came down in 1976 because my husband was working here. He worked here for about seven years, and we lived in Donvale.
He was travelling down here by train, and our two young kids never saw him because he worked six days a week, so moving was feasible.
What do you like about where you live?
The closeness of the beaches, as I love the beach and the sea. In ’76, it was very much a country town where everybody knew everybody except me.
That felt isolating to start with, so it meant I had to get involved in various activities that arose.
What is something people may not know about you?
I was a trained nurse, and when I came here, I couldn’t get a job because Geelong trainees seemed to be the accepted thing, so that was a bit of a problem.
Then, one of the girls in the Grovedale West Primary School canteen (where she volunteered) asked me if I wanted to do her shift at one of the nursing homes.
So, I took that offer, and it was on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. From there, I went on to do nights and afternoons and almost did a full-time thing.
I also went to Deakin and did a double major in art history, which took me about seven years.
What do you like about your role with Fight Cancer Foundation?
It’s all been great. I love the schools because you get to talk to kids and some of those little children are amazing. I’m also always satisfied when the (fundraising) dollar figures are great.
There were so many people that I knew and kids that I had served at the canteen at Grovedale West who were dying from various forms of cancer, and it was horrific.
Kids were developing cancers at a high rate and dying. I saw the devastation within families as they lost a child and marriages broke up, as you can never replace a child.
We found that kids, if they got leukaemia, were dropping out of school because treatment time could be up to two years.
If you’re having treatment for the last two years of your schooling life and you’ve missed it, your friends have all moved on, and you have to go back to school, you’re not going to do it.
They then decided to hold something called Footy Colours Day to raise money to supply education for these children of all ages while they were being treated.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
So many families have lost a child, and it’s really sad when you think about the devastation it causes within that family.
Then, if you’ve got a child that has to go to Melbourne to be treated, you’ve got huge expenses, and the bills keep coming through the door regardless.
I’ve been given many awards, and I’m embarrassed when I get them. It’s not about me; it’s about helping other people.
Visit fightcancer.org.au for more information about the Fight Cancer Foundation or to donate.
Help is available through Lifeline’s crisis support service on 13 11 14.
