Helping others find peace of mind

PROVIDING ongoing support to people impacted by brain cancer is Bronwyn Haskell’s way of continuing her late partner’s legacy and has helped her “make peace with it all”.

Bronwyn is Geelong’s supportive care co-ordinator with the Peace of Mind Foundation, and she is one of six finalists in the Westfield Geelong Local Heroes Program, vying for a $10,000 donation for her charity.

Peace of Mind offers face-to-face support groups, retreats and counselling to help patients and family members navigate their way through their diagnosis and continue to find joy in life when faced with uncertainty.

Bronwyn, who lost her partner David to brain cancer, said being a Local Hero finalist was “very humbling” and winning $10,000 for the Peace of Mind Foundation would be extremely significant to continue the work they do.

She said fundraising was difficult during restrictions but the need for support was just as necessary, if not more important, for those dealing with brain cancer.

“David was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2016. He was a fully operational fire fighter and after the surgery he wasn’t able to be safe at home, so I left my work and never went back, and looked after home through 16 months of treatment,” Bronwyn said.

She said after David passed away, she moved to Geelong to be closer to family and knew that “going back to retail didn’t make sense” after what she had been through.

“I realised the lack of support for those going through brain cancer diagnosis and the carers, and the questions I would have liked to have asked someone who understood what we were going through,” Bronwyn said.

“I found the Peace of Mind Foundation, based here in Geelong and I got very much into supportive care.

“When we receive a referral from the hospital, I make contact and then walk alongside them through their diagnosis and treatment.”

Bronwyn, who has supported more than 230 families through the foundation, organises retreats for cancer patients, when restrictions allow, and keeps in contact with patients and carers via Zoom and phone when face-to-face support isn’t possible.

She also identified the need for ongoing support after loved ones passed away, starting a much-needed bereaved support group.

“The need for care keeps going; the partners or carers put everything aside to care for that person; it’s an isolating disease and COVID has doubled that,” Bronwyn said.

“People pass away and they can’t have a funeral or celebration of that life; that’s part of the grieving.

“After they’ve passed, they might have joys like when a baby is born but they can’t go and see the baby.

“People need to reconnect after they’ve lost someone; they need to know that the support is ongoing.”

Bronwyn said her volunteer work with the foundation has helped her through her grief, particularly the support she has received from the foundation team and being able to support others.

“People are incredibly brave and selfless; nobody has another agenda, they bring so much kindness, compassion and care,” she said. “You have such an incredible relationship with people towards the end and it’s such a privilege to have been there for them.

“This is David’s legacy; he spent his life caring for people and he is still helping people.

“If I received $10,000 for the foundation we would use it for a bereaved retreat and to pay for our counselling and support groups; it would be absolutely huge because it would keep the foundation going.”

The Westfield Local Heroes Program will donate $10,000 to three of the finalists’ charities, based on an online community vote which closes at the end of August.

Make a difference in your community by voting for Bronwyn and other Westfield Local Heroes finalists including Andy Brittain, Barbara Speldewinde, Claire Faulmann, Anthony Woodbury and Jennifer Chiu.

Learn more about Peace of Mind Foundation, its support services and how you can help by visiting its website.