MORNINGTON volunteer worker and cancer survivor Roy Francis is busier now than before he retired.
And the 77-year-old former pharmaceutical sales and marketing executive, who has been crowned Victorian Senior of the Year for his tireless work and travel promoting cancer awareness, shows no signs of slowing down.
Roy retired in 2006 at the age of 66, and was then diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Soon after he became a volunteer ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. He went on to set up the Mornington Peninsula Prostate Cancer Support Group and volunteer as an ambassador for the National Stroke Foundation and beyondblue.
Much of his time is now spent travelling around Victoria giving presentations on cancer awareness and promoting the bowel cancer screening program.
“The award was totally unexpected. It was fantastic and an extraordinary honour,” said Mr Francis, who became involved with the Stroke Foundation after his golfing partner’s wife had a massive stroke that left her paralysed, and then beyondblue after his son was diagnosed with severe depression.
He has given about 750 talks to more than 25,000 people.
Roy became involved with the Prostate Cancer Foundation after his own cancer diagnosis and also because of his background in the health field.
“Working in the pharmaceutical and medical industry I’d stood in operating theatres with doctors and was familiar with the terminology,” he said.
He’s now keen to encourage more seniors to take up volunteering and said the key is to choose something you’re familiar with and love.
“As a senior, you’ve accumulated lots of knowledge in those working years,” he said.
“It’s a shame to let all this go to waste. People who retire can still be very active.
“There are so many things you can do – it could be a little or a lot. Use your experience.”
Roy also keeps his mind active as a member of various committees – from the men’s health group at The Bays Hospital in Mornington, to the Balnarring Picnic Racing Club and Benton Square Community Centre – as well as being president of his local croquet club three times and vice-president of Mornington branch of National Seniors.
“I still get to wave my arms about, talk a lot and run meetings. I like doing that,” he joked.
After years on the road giving talks, Roy has now eased back on the travelling and is concentrating on local volunteering including being a community speaker with the Cancer Council Victoria and as co-chairperson with his wife Helen of the men’s health group.
“I get a lot of feedback after meetings and talks,” he said.
“After speaking at a conference in country Victoria, three local guys came up to me and told me they’d heard me speak previously and after that they had gone to their GPs and been diagnosed with cancer – and that I could have saved their lives.
“This communication is so important.”
Outstanding contributions recognised at Senior of the Year Awards
ROY Francis and 14 others were recognised for their community contributions at the annual Victorian Senior of the Year Awards ceremony.
The awards were presented by Victorian governor Linda Dessau and Minister for Ageing Martin Foley at Government House.
Older people comprise more than 15 per cent of Victoria’s population and the awards recognise the enormous contribution they make across the state.
Award winners are:
Promotion of Multiculturalism, Marcello D'Amico, Watsonia; Healthy and Active Living, Barry “Butch” Witmitz, Kaniva; Veteran Community Award, Roger Boness, Mt Evelyn; Age-Friendly Victoria, Travellers Aid Australia.
Council on the Ageing Victoria Senior Achiever Awards: Maria Wiseman, Moe; Jennifer Disney, Diamond Creek; Margaret Griffith, Barwon Heads; Nola Nugent, Nunawading; John (Jack) Bell, Surrey Hills; Robert Bolch, Langwarrin; Graham Boyd, Woodend; Edward Jarrett, Sunbury; John Lowcock, Hamilton; Apolonuz (George) Semkowski, Glenroy.
The awards were part of the Victorian Seniors Festival, which ran throughout October and offered more than 1500 free and low-cost events all over the state.
