Cheers to the volunteers 'WHY WE PAY IT FORWARD'

Meet three kind-hearted angels who love to give so that others may receive

- Kasia De Vydt-Jillings

Across the country, countless caring volunteers quietly pour their time, skills and energy into helping others, without expecting anything in return. In this special feature, three inspiring women share how they make a difference...

Bailee's beads

Shirlee Wilton will never forget the sheer joy when children on the cancer ward choose a beautifully handcrafted bead to mark each significant milestone on their health journey.

It's a moment she watched time and again when her daughter Bailee was battling stage-four Hodgkin's lymphoma as a teen. Now she's integral in keeping the magic alive for others as an artist and the Beads of Courage national volunteer coordinator.

“Even though they're incredibly sad, the beads are also inspirational,” shares Shirlee, 58. “They're a record of how much kids have gone through and they're proud to show them off.”

Delivered by the Child Cancer Foundation, the programme gifts children a glass bead for every treatment and procedure they undergo.

There's also a small, dedicated team of volunteer lampwork (glass bead) artists, organised by Shirlee, who donate their time and skills to make extra-special beads for things such as birthdays, exceptional bravery and other remarkable moments in a child's life.

“I am just in awe of kids going through these treatments,” says Shirlee. “Every time I send off beads, I think of all the kids and families who are going through something so traumatic, and my heart just goes out to them.”

The first time Shirlee donated was when her daughter Bailee, then 14, was undergoing cancer treatment.

“I sort of knew about Beads of Courage, but I didn't really understand it,” she admits. “Then my daughter was sick, and I saw the end result of the programme and was just blown away.