For long time Taranaki local Mike Walmsley his journey with the Cancer Society began when he saw a volunteer driving ad on the television.
“I was semi-retired and thought that was something I could do to fill in a bit of time, for a worthy cause,” he says.
Cancer has touched Mike’s life many times, his mother survived it, and more recently, both a brother-in-law and a close friend have been diagnosed.
After going through the interview process, he was on the road helping people get to treatment, something he finds deeply rewarding. But Mike’s involvement didn’t stop there. His skills quickly caught the attention of the Cancer Society Relay for Life team.
“During the course of interviewing to be a volunteer driver they saw I’d worked for 40 years with Fairfax media and asked if I would like to become involved with Relay for Life? So, I said ‘well yes, why not!’ And suddenly, I was on the committee!”
His volunteering doesn’t stop at Relay for Life though. Mike has been involved with Daffodil Day for many years, has spent two decades with the Lions in Stratford, and even lends a hand at the Cape Egmont Half Marathon that raises funds for the Cancer Society.
When asked whether he’d recommend volunteering for the Cancer Society, Mike doesn’t hesitate.
“Yes absolutely. You couldn’t find a more worthwhile cause. It affects so many families, 1 in 3 people get cancer. There wouldn’t be a family out there which isn’t impacted in one way or another. When someone has cancer, it affects everyone in the family.”
His driving work often means supporting people through some of their hardest days.
“Sometimes I’m taking people multiple days in a row up for treatment,” he says, a reminder of how essential volunteers is to ensure patients can access care.
For Mike, the heart of volunteering is simple, it’s about giving back. “Every organisation needs more volunteers; everyone struggles for it. Doing something for someone else is very rewarding.”
For the Cancer Society, volunteers like Mike are the reason so many people get the support they need.
Ready to make a difference? Join us today! follow the link below to find out more about volunteering and register your interest.
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