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Palliative Care NSW is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2026 NSW Palliative Care Volunteer of the Year Awards. We have four finalists in each category. 

Volunteer of the Year Finalists

  

 

Kate Clark – HammondCare Braeside Hospital 

Kate’s contribution at HammondCare’s Braeside Hospital has been extraordinary and deeply meaningful. Last year, she was working with a young mum in their Life Story program who had almost no photos with her children. Because of Kate’s thoughtfulness, HammondCare was able to arrange a family photoshoot for the patient, her partner, and children. 

Kate shows excellent teamwork in the way she works with staff, management, and other volunteers. She keeps in regular contact with the Volunteer Coordinator, sharing updates about her visits, the progress of each Life Story biography, and any support a patient may need. 

Her calm, professional manner has made her a trusted and valued part of the ward, and her commitment reflects the heart of HammondCare. She has left a lasting impact on the patients and families she supports. 

Margaret Dark – Wauchope Palliative Care Unit 

Margaret Dark has been volunteering for 30 years. She selflessly shares her time supporting the carers and families of patients receiving end-of-life care at the Wauchope District Memorial Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit (PCU). 

Margaret has well-developed skills in grief and bereavement support. She regularly conducts bereavement follow-up phone calls to families and carers who have had recently lost a loved one in the PCU. 

In addition to providing support through her follow-up service calls, Margaret assists the allied health team when limited hours prevent the social worker or chaplain from attending to every call. 

Margaret is a true inspiration to all volunteers and members of the multidisciplinary PCU team. At the 2021 Mid North Coast Local Health District excellence awards she was a well-deserved finalist for volunteer of the year. 

Kathy Hawkins – HammondCare Greenwich Hospital 

For over eight years, Kathy Hawkins has brought comfort and dignity to people receiving palliative care at HammondCare Greenwich Hospital. She has created some truly transformative spaces for her patients, making strong emotional and spiritual connections. 

Kathy consistently goes above and beyond, frequently covering vacant shifts or taking on extra tasks. She has a gentle touch and uses hand massage to relieve anxiety and ground her patients. Everyone appreciates the way Kathy plays the reverie harp, which creates a calming and contemplative atmosphere around the palliative care unit for all to enjoy. 

Kathy’s passion for supporting those receiving palliative care runs deep. She considers her volunteering as a privilege and always brings her heart to the role.  

Sandra Hiscock – Southern Highlands Community Hospice 

Sandra wears many volunteer hats. Not only is she a busy volunteer board member for the Southern Highlands Community Hospice, a not-for-profit charity organisation in Bowral, but she has also played a key role in the introduction of their local community-based volunteering program. 

Sandra manages the coordination, training, and support for the new community-visiting volunteers. She also takes an active mentoring role, ensuring new recruits understand the scope of their positions and how best to interact with clients and their families. 

Beyond her volunteer work on the board and her efforts in managing others, her volunteering extends to visiting clients at one of the Harbison aged care homes each week. While she is there, she keeps the communication books and resident lists up to date. 

Sandra has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to client care and the care of her volunteer peers, delivered with genuine empathy and compassion. She possesses a strong community spirit and the drive to bring meaningful ideas to life. 

Volunteer Team of the Year Finalists

Sacred Heart Biography Service 

The Sacred Heart Biography Service demonstrates an extraordinary dedication to patient care by addressing one of the most profound needs at the end of life: the desire to be heard, remembered, and valued. 

In operation for seventeen years, the service has redefined holistic care by recognising that a patient’s life story is as vital as their medical treatment. Through the creation of these biographies, the team has transformed the end-of-life experience for many palliative care patients while providing families with beautiful legacy documents to cherish. 

The team’s commitment is evident in the deep, trusting relationships they cultivate. They create a safe, unhurried sanctuary where clients can reflect on their triumphs, hardships, and cherished memories. 

The work of this exemplary team inspired the ABC documentary “A Friend in Death”, which underscores the therapeutic effect of storytelling during a person’s final weeks and months of life. 

Western Sydney Supportive and Palliative Care Volunteers 

The Western Sydney LHD Palliative Care Volunteers have had a profound and enduring impact on their community, offering compassionate support to patients and families during some of life’s most challenging moments. Their presence bridges emotional, cultural, and practical gaps that often arise in end-of-life care, ensuring that no one faces this journey alone. 

The team plays a vital role in supporting culturally diverse communities, reflecting the richness of Western Sydney. They offer personalised, sensory based support such as hand massages, aromatherapy, and calming presence through gardening activities that bring nature and tranquillity into care environments. The beloved Jolly Trolley brings joy to patients and visitors, offering treats, conversation, and moments of lightness. 

The team’s care is grounded in compassion, respect, and a genuine desire to bring comfort. They build strong, trusting relationships by taking the time to sit with patients, listen to their stories, read books aloud, write letters, or simply offer quiet company. Their commitment to compassionate care shines through in these small but deeply meaningful acts that help people feel valued and understood. 

Dungog Shire Palliative Care Volunteers Inc. 

Dungog Shire Palliative Care Volunteers provide a vital lifeline to a rural community situated up to two hours from major treatment centres. In a region with no public transport, the team supports some of the most vulnerable residents, including the frail, the elderly, and those living in significant financial hardship without local family networks. 

Operating every day of the year, including public holidays, the service is provided entirely free of charge to ensure that palliative care remains accessible to everyone. Volunteers facilitate essential travel to medical treatments as far away as Maitland, Newcastle, and Sydney, while also managing a specialised linen service and a comprehensive equipment loan scheme. This includes providing hospital-grade beds, oxygen concentrators, and mobility aids to help people remain in the comfort of their own homes. 

By offering both practical assistance and crucial respite for carers, the team helps individuals maintain their dignity and independence. Throughout 2025, these dedicated volunteers contributed 1,400 hours of support to people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across the Dungog Shire. 

Nepean Hawkesbury Supportive and Palliative Care Volunteers 

The Nepean Palliative Care Volunteer Team has made a profound and measurable impact across the Nepean Blue Mountains community by providing compassionate, person centred support to people living with a life limiting illness. 

The team overcomes significant obstacles, often travelling long distances to visit people who live alone or have little or no other support. They enable patients to remain at home by providing transport, shopping assistance, and social connection, which helps to prevent isolation and reduce pressure on both families and the health system. 

Their work benefits people from all backgrounds, including those who are socially isolated, culturally diverse, or reluctant to accept help. Biography volunteers help patients capture their life stories and write letters to loved ones, preserving legacy and strengthening relationships. 

Whether advocating for life-story work, medical reviews, or essential equipment, Nepean Palliative Care Volunteers champion the rights and wellbeing of those they serve. Team members build trust and meaningful connections with the people they support. They are responsive, professional, and compassionate, and the difference they make extends beyond their immediate clients to the broader community.  

A sincere thank you to everyone who nominated for these awards. The submissions were of an exceptionally high standard, and all nominees are truly deserving of recognition. 

Please join us in congratulating these volunteers and volunteer teams on being named finalists. Palliative Care NSW will announce the award winners on Wednesday 20th May during National Volunteer Week. 

These awards are made possible with funding from the NSW Ministry of Health.