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Kevin Stokes is one of four finalists for the 2025 NSW Palliative Care Volunteer of the Year Award. 

Volunteering at Great Lakes Palliative Care Service in the Forster/Tuncurry area, Kevin takes care of an industrial sized shed worth of equipment needed to improve the comfort of staff, carers, and patients in his local community.

The equipment is loaned at no cost and Kevin organises the pick up, delivery, cleaning, repair, and storage of every single item. Any excess equipment is shipped to Vanuatu where it gets a new life – 12 pallets worth to date. 

Kevin is a big advocate for palliative care and also helps to organise the fundraisers which make Great Lakes Palliative Care Service sustainable. 

Colleague Jillian Hull says, ‘Kevin is so helpful with the clinicians working in the space, families, and patients. He does so much in the background with his advocacy and fundraising. He takes his little station wagon, picks up and maintains the equipment. He is also the cutest guy!

‘He really deserves this recognition. Kevin is an genuinely lovely person – his smile says it all.’

Kevin has been kind enough to tell us a bit about himself and his volunteering. 

Please tell us about your volunteer role and the activities you engage in at your service. 

I help organise, clean, maintain, and deliver equipment for patients that require it. If clients are waiting on a care package for assistance they might be left waiting weeks. Instead, we are able to get the equipment to them as soon as possible ensuring their safety and comfort. As a charity, we rely on donations from the community. I also assist with several fundraising events to make sure we can continue our services. 

What prompted you to volunteer in palliative care? 

My wife is a palliative care nurse of 23 years so I have been in this space helping her for a long time. It started off with us lending equipment from a garage and just grew from there. We have been at it for 15 years now. 

What do you enjoy most about being a palliative care volunteer? 

People are very generous which really helps us keep, maintain, lend, and donate equipment. We can support patients with massages, food vouchers, or fuel cards for people who need help getting to get their appointments. We also re-use and donate our equipment to hospitals in Vanuatu. The service has been much busier however we have managed to keep up with lending patients equipment straight away without delay. 

Please tell us about a time you had a particularly inspiring volunteering experience. 

There are moments where families may want to speak about the death of their spouses or family members. At times, they need someone to listen and just let them talk it out. I am very grateful that I am comfortable in keeping my ears and heart open, providing the social and emotional support for grieving. I will sit down with them and let them express their anger, grief, and provide a safe space for them to let go of the emotions. 

Please share some words of wisdom for fellow volunteers. 

Palliative care is a great cause. It is rewarding because you are doing something for someone in their final stages. I get a buzz just helping others and making their life a bit easier with little time they have left. I will keep doing it until I can’t do it anymore. 

What would you say to someone who might be thinking about becoming a palliative care volunteer? 

Just do it! There are so many aspects you can get involved in. You can have a chat, listen, help with fundraising. It feels good helping someone in their final moments and their families. 

The winner of the 2025 NSW Palliative Care Volunteer of the Year Award will be announced on 21 May and automatically entered into the Palliative Care Australia National Awards. Winners of the National Awards are announced at the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference.