Nursing an inspiration to care

Wollongong Breast Cancer Care Nurse Sister Gloria Swift has been honoured with a Highly Commended AstraZeneca Breast Cancer Care Award.

Born and bred in the Illawarra, Sr Swift founded and continues to run the Illawarra Breast Cancer Support Group – which held its first meeting of 76 members 17 years ago and now boasts a membership of 500 – ranging in age from 35 to 91.

Sr Swift became a nurse at the age of 26, but was inspired to enter the area of cancer care after nursing her mother through a battle with three primary cancers – including breast cancer.

She said the experience of being a loved one’s primary care giver gave her added insight.

“As just a health professional you are looking at things from the outside in – but I was inside the experience as well,” said the 66-year-old.

“I would not have understood all of the frustrations otherwise.”

Sr Swift’s mother went on to beat all three cancers – only passing away three years ago after an osteoporosis-related fall.

Some of the activities that Sr Swift has developed to help ‘her girls’ are husband and wife support group sessions, aqua jog group, dragons abreast racing team and a yearly health retreat.

She even drives the ladies to the retreat in a bus.

Sr Swift said she was humbled to receive the Highly Commended accolade, which was announced earlier this week.

“This award is really about the women I’ve been able to help – it’s for them, and it’s for my mother and my grandmother for being my inspiration to follow this line of work,” she said.

“I’m doing something that I really love, so to be recognised for that can seem strange.

“The most rewarding thing is to see the women fight so hard to regain control of their lives while being mothers – in some cases working as well – and also being wives to their husbands.

“To see them come through it all and come out stronger – and knowing I played some part in that.”

“They would say that I give them a lot – but they give me just as much back to me.”

The Breast Cancer Care Award is supported by the National Breast Cancer Foundation and was launched to recognise general practitioners, surgeons, medical oncologists, pharmacists, nurses and social workers who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and compassion.