Rising above cancer – community and care

Forty years ago, one woman in the NSW town of Queanbeyan saw a need and decided to act. Now 850 people a year receive cancer support from Rise Above.

In 1985, Yvonne Cuschieri OAM began raising money to send 13 local teenagers to a CanTeen camp. She could not have known that her small initiative would eventually become Rise Above Capital Region Cancer Relief, supporting people affected by cancer across Canberra, Queanbeyan and the surrounding region.

I have seen first-hand the difference the organisation makes. But its story is larger than one organisation. It is a story about community, volunteering and what happens when we decide that someone else’s hardship is also our concern.

In 2025, Rise Above supported 788 local cancer patients, including 455 new patients. That represented a 20 per cent increase from the previous year, following another 20 per cent increase the year before. Today, more than 850 people across the Capital Region receive its support.

More than 2,400 people in our region are diagnosed with cancer each year.

Behind those numbers are families whose lives can change almost overnight.

Cancer treatment has improved enormously, but a diagnosis can bring major financial pressures. There are groceries, petrol, electricity, medication and travel costs, while people may have to reduce their hours or stop working.

Nationally, 34 per cent of cancer patients have to stop work, with a similar picture locally. A recent study of breast cancer patients found that 94 per cent reported financial concerns following treatment. Financial concerns ranked third, behind planning for the future and mental health.

One story that has stayed with me is Larissa’s. She was 34 when diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She was working, exercising and living what she considered a healthy life. Then everything changed.

When treatment began, she could no longer work. Her husband became the family’s sole provider and carer. Without extended family nearby, they faced the financial and emotional pressure of cancer largely on their own.

Rise Above helped ease some of that pressure.

Community support is not always about solving problems. Sometimes it is about making a difficult period easier and reminding people they are not alone.

Rise Above now provides around $50,000 a month in support, based on the average outgoings of patients needing assistance with essentials such as groceries and fuel.

Across Canberra, Queanbeyan and surrounding New South Wales, organisations including Cancer Council ACT, CanTeen, Bosom Buddies, the Brain Tumour Alliance and Rise Above provide different forms of support. Some offer information and counselling, while others provide peer, practical or financial assistance.

And that network depends heavily on volunteers.

According to Volunteering ACT, 279,000 ACT residents volunteered in 2023. They contributed more than 63 million hours and generated an estimated $14.1 billion in value for the Canberra Region.

More than a quarter of a million people are helping make our community function. A volunteer might drive someone to hospital, deliver a meal, coach children, serve on a charity board or organise a fundraiser. Most of this work happens quietly, yet collectively it strengthens our community.

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission recorded 62,867 registered charities as of 1 January 2025. Charities reported engaging almost 3.94 million volunteers, while 52.9 per cent operated without paid staff.

Much of our social infrastructure depends on people who give their time.

There is another important lesson in the Rise Above story: geography.

Pressures on community organisations are increasing while demand grows. When someone becomes seriously ill, the financial and emotional pressures on families can become much harder to manage.

So what should we do?

First, we should make volunteering a more visible part of the lives of younger Australians by creating stronger pathways through schools, universities, workplaces and community organisations. Volunteering should be seen not simply as giving time, but as an opportunity to build skills, relationships and belonging.

Second, make volunteering easier by reducing the practical costs and barriers that discourage participation.

Third, recognise charities and community organisations as essential social infrastructure and provide them with the support they need to meet growing demand.

Finally, strengthen cooperation across the ACT and NSW border so services follow people’s needs rather than administrative boundaries. This could include better coordination of health and cancer support, shared community services, simpler referral pathways and stronger cooperation in areas such as ageing and community care.

Volunteering is not cost-free. ACT research found volunteers shoulder around 65 per cent of the costs associated with volunteering, including travel and uniforms, with the average cost estimated at about $243 a month.

People give their time freely, but that does not mean volunteering costs them nothing.

The $14.1 billion contribution of volunteering deserves to be recognised as more than a feel-good activity. We should encourage and incentivise younger people to see community involvement as an opportunity to contribute and develop a sense of belonging.

The story of Rise Above began with 13 teenagers and one person’s determination to help them.

Forty years later, more than 850 people affected by cancer are supported across the region.

But its lasting achievement is not simply the number of people assisted. It is the community that has grown around the organisation: people giving their time, money and skills; people reaching out to strangers; and people who once received support returning to help others.

That is the true legacy: a culture of care that grows from one person to another.

After more than 34 years of professional and community life in this region, I believe a successful community is measured by how we respond when someone is struggling.

Do we notice? Do we help? Do we volunteer? Do we make sure people do not fall through the gaps?

The story of Rise Above suggests many people in Canberra, Queanbeyan and the wider capital region are willing to do exactly that.

The story of Rise Above suggests many people in Canberra, Queanbeyan and the wider capital region are willing to do exactly that.

 

Disclaimer: Mainul Haque is a member of the Rise Above board