Seniors Award - 2012/2013

Thomas Fong is a vibrant volunteer at Calvary Health Care Bethlehem, through Palliative Care Victoria.  His involvement started after he survived his own cancer challenge when, in 2006, after three years’ treatment at the Alfred, he was declared to be in permanent remission from bladder cancer and decided he wanted to ‘give back’ by helping others facing their final journey in palliative care.

Thomas was born in Borneo and educated in NSW where he obtained a degree as a biochemist before qualifying as a dietician in WA.  Returning to Borneo he managed the blood bank and blood laboratory for thalassemia - a major problem in the region.  He returned with his family (wife Cecilia, daughters Grace and Catherine, and son Thomas Jnr.) to Australia in 1982.

Thomas has volunteered for over 4000 hours at Bethlehem and has no plans to stop.  While he was initially unfamiliar with the term ‘volunteer’ he had undertaken such work in Borneo, starting a Blood Donors’ Association and co-founding a Thalassemia Association.

Thomas’s commitment to the community, his ability to be a positive role model to Carers experiencing similar issues and his dedication to make a difference all add up to creating a very worthy recipient of the Rotary Club of Melbourne 2012-2013 Seniors Award.