Greater Dandenong councillor Maria Sampey with Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre oncologist Dr Greg Wheeler and two new children’s trolleys.– Shaun Inguanzo
THE fruits of last year’s Greater Dandenong Mayoral Ball have recently been borne in the form of medical trolleys for ill children.
A $14,200 portion of the $22,400 raised at the October event was donated to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Clinic and used to purchase special trolleys that will prevent young cancer patients from sliding off – a common problem when they are placed on adult-sized trolleys.
Former Dandenong mayor Maria Sampey said she was delighted to donate funds from her mayoral ball to the centre, but added there was a personal reason why she supported Peter MacCallum. “Our son Paul was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of three and relapsed at the age of seven and again at the age of eight,” she said.
“It was the second lot of radiation to the head that 11 years later brought on a brain tumour.
“He died 10 months later at the age of 19 and a half, on 12 April 1997.
“We had 16 years at the Peter MacCallum hospital.”
Plaques in Paul’s honour have been placed on the trolleys and read ‘In memory of Paul Sampey, Donated by the City of Greater Dandenong Community’.
The trolleys were unveiled recently, with Peter MacCallum radiation oncologist Dr Greg Wheeler “over the moon” with the new trolleys, Cr Sampey said.
A further $8200 raised from the mayoral ball went to the Dandenong Benevolent Society.
