On 15 May 2019, Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation announced this year’s Chairman’s Medal recipient; Carolyn Comyns, in the lead up to National Volunteer Week (20-26 May).
Now in its second year, the Medal was established by the Foundation to honour the late Michael Slater, who was Chairman of both Newcastle Permanent Building Society and Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation for almost 10 years.
The Chairman’s Medal acknowledges the contributions of an outstanding volunteer – and as 2019’s recipient, Carolyn couldn’t be more deserving.
Charitable Foundation Chair, Phil Neat said the Chairman’s Medal recognised the value of volunteers within community organisations and celebrated their achievements, particularly in regional communities.
“Volunteering is the ultimate display of dedication to a cause, other people’s well-being and service to community. This award recognises Carolyn’s selflessness as a volunteer with ARRC and the grass-roots way she is helping to rewrite the future for other people living with an autoimmune disease,” Phil Neat said.
Carolyn said she was honoured by the award, which comes with a $3000 grant to her organisation, ARRC.
“I don’t like to draw attention to myself, as I find that awkward, but I’m also very pleased for the funds to be going to ARRC for the excellent work it does,” she said.
“It will allow more people to be reached, to pass on more information and guide others through their journey.”
Carolyn has been recognised for her incredible fundraising and volunteering efforts with ARRC; a charity that supports people with a range of autoimmune diseases, including Scleroderma, Sjogrens Syndrome and Lupus – a condition that Carolyn suffers from personally, which can cause fatigue, joint pain, rash and fever.
Autoimmune diseases primarily affect women and, in most cases, have no known cure. ARRC’s primary mission is to educate and improve the quality of life for people living with autoimmune diseases.
Despite living with lupus herself since her diagnosis in 2008, Carolyn happily became ARRC’s ‘go-to lady’ – helping with everything from fundraising to admin, as well as offering support and guidance to newly diagnosed people with autoimmune diseases, who were feeling vulnerable and unsure how to navigate the often confusing health system. And despite dealing with her own illness, Carolyn shows no signs of slowing down when it comes to her charity work with ARRC.
“I just want to continue supporting ARRC so it can support other people and in my own way do whatever is possible to help the organisation to achieve this,” Carolyn said.
“There are so many people out there who don’t have my level of support which is an ongoing thing and so many people need help. Plus, there’s always enjoyment when you get a group of women together as we have a chat and a laugh which helps too. It’s made me go out, talk to people and mix with new people.”
Carolyn will accept the Medal during National Volunteer Week today (Thursday, 23 May 2019) at the Charitable Foundation’s grant giving ceremony.
Carolyn will receive the Chairman’s Medal and the ARRC will receive a $3,000 grant to be used for volunteer development The Charitable Foundation holds two funding ceremonies each year when it announces the recipients of more than $1.5 million in grants.
IMAGE | Carolyn Comyns, the recipient of the 2019 Chairman’s Medal
