Shirley Gilmore is a dedicated and compassionate individual who has been a pillar of strength for countless women facing the daunting diagnosis of cancer.
With roles at both the Queensland Cancer Council and the Breast Cancer Network in Melbourne, she has made it her life's mission to provide unwavering support to those in need.
Shirley’s cancer support roles follow a career in healthcare and her own breast cancer diagnosis in 1990.
Shirley travelled to Brisbane for treatment, and the support she received from her family and healthcare staff inspired her to extend the same lifeline to others.
“The particular challenges facing rural women in this situation at the time involved lack of information and support,” she said.
In 1994, fit, healthy and back at work, Shirley began her formal commitment to the Queensland Cancer Fund by signing up as an entrant in the Nurse of the Year quest, raising almost $30,000.
“The important thing was that I then had the resources available to hand out to other women,” she said.
In 1995, Queensland Cancer Fund and the community health nurse assisted her to set up a Breast Cancer Support Group, who still meet monthly to this day.
Over the years, Shirley continued to raise funds, again committing to Nurse of the Year in 2002 and later, she became involved in the Breast Cancer Network.
Every month, Shirley and her fellow survivors meet at the Gudjuda Deck Café, creating a sense of companionship and shared experience.
“You meet such wonderful women on that journey; there’s a lot of good people out there,” she said.
“There are a couple of people there who have recently been diagnosed, there are a couple of survivors who have been coming for 25 years.
“There are so many more women diagnosed with breast cancer now but there’s such a big survival rate and that’s all we’ve got to focus on.”
The Breast Cancer Support Group will hold a Christmas breakup at the Gudjuda Deck Café on Thursday, November 30 from 10:00am.
For more information on the group, contact Shirley on 0476 157 571 and to RSVP for the breakup, contact Gudjuda Deck Café on 07 4783 7229.
Shirley Gilmore fills cancer support roles with both Queensland Cancer Council and Breast Cancer Network. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie
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