2025 CanCare Centre CEO Annual Report (01/07/2024 – 30/06/2025)
I. Introduction
CanCare has experienced yet another vibrant and fruitful year. Below is a summary of some of the innovative activities carried out during this period.
II. Work Report
1. Education and Training
Caring for cancer patients and their carers is highly challenging, as carers need to know how to com municate with them effectively. Therefore, we organize different types of training courses to train volunteers and participants to understand the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of patients and their carers.
Most of our courses are held in person, allowing more interaction and deeper engagement. At the same time, for the convenience of participants from different locations, we also organize online training sessions, inviting speakers from both local and overseas.
In this financial year, CanCare hosted the Pastoral Care and Personal Growth Course led by Rev. William Lam from Hong Kong, and the Dare to be Grateful Workshop by Rev. Stephen Ho and Ms. Shirley Loo from Hong Kong, with around 55 participants in total.
In November 2024 and February 2025, we collaborated for the first time with the Chinese Australian Services Society (CASS) to run two health seminars. In March 2025, we launched the Cantonese training course Life and Death Education – The Four Seasons of Life, enrolling 63 participants.
In June 2025, we successfully held the health seminar Healing Body & Mind: Modern Medicine and Holistic Therapy). Six cross-disciplinary medical professionals were invited to share how the integration of modern medicine and complementary therapies can help cancer patients ease pain and gain health knowledge and practical tips. The seminar was conducted in both Cantonese and Mandarin, with a total of around 500 attendees across six sessions.
In short, we are committed to equipping our learners with systematic and practical care tools, enabling them to face the diverse situations of cancer patients with confidence and provide the most appropriate support.
2. Media and Publicity
CanCare uses diverse media channels to promote and publicize our work, including radio programs, social media content on cancer care, and public performances.
On 21 September 2024, we hosted our first-ever Mandarin musical drama sharing event Drama of Life. Through songs, testimonies, and other creative forms, the event encouraged people to say the “Four Essential Principles of Life” before life’s end: Thank you, I love you, Forgive me, and Goodbye. The program included drama, songs, and dance, with around 600 attendees.
We collaborated with radio stations such as 2AC Chinese Radio Australia for CanCare Spiritual Stopover and 2CR Chinese Radio Network for CanCare Walk with You, both receiving positive feedback from listeners.
On video platforms, we continued producing the CanCare Classroom series, covering topics on healthcare and life education. We also launched a Life and Death Education podcast on Spotify, focusing on life stories, spirituality, and end-of-life issues.
Our online content has been increasingly well-received, attracting a growing number of viewers.
3. Companion Telephone Support Service
This is a one-to-one support service via phone calls and text messages between volunteers and cancer patients. Our volunteers are “fellow companions” who have either personally battled cancer or cared for a loved one with cancer. Having gone through the pain and challenges of cancer treatment, they treasure health and life more deeply and practice gratitude. Their lived experiences enable them to provide empathetic support, which many patients and families greatly appreciate.
4. Support Groups
The goal of support groups is to provide participants with a safe space to share their personal experiences and health conditions. Each session also features a guest speaker for topic sharing, fostering mutual encouragement.
CanCare runs support groups in Westmead, Hurstville, Lidcombe, Castle Hill, Chatswood, and Surry Hills, with total monthly participation exceeding 300 people.
5. Walking Groups
CanCare runs two walking groups that hold periodically. Patients and volunteers enjoy chatting and laughing together, benefiting both body and mind, embodying the truth that “a joyful heart is good medicine.”
New members frequently join, while some pause due to treatment needs, and sadly, some have passed away. Yet they all share a common spirit: facing life positively, cherishing every day, and living with gratitude. Our volunteers also work in great harmony, dedicating time and effort—many even taking leave from work to serve. I am deeply thankful for their commitment.
6. Visitation Groups
For patients unable to attend CanCare activities in person, we provide home and hospital visits by the volunteers from our visitation teams. These visits offer personalized care, and many patients, before passing away, reflected on faith during these encounters, with some eventually accepting Christ, finding peace, and overcoming the fear of death.
7. Life and Death Education
After the COVID-19 pandemic, people have become more open to conversations about death. We therefore launched Life and Death education programs.
Such education not only helps people face death but also encourages reflection on the value and meaning of life, leading to greater purpose and hope. The curriculum covers birth, aging, illness, and death.
In 2025–2026, beyond promoting within CanCare support groups, we will also partner with organizations and churches to hold a series of seminars and training courses. Together, we aim to deepen the community’s understanding and acceptance of life-and-death issues, nurturing companions who serve with empathy and compassion.
8. Thanksgiving Anniversary Dinner
On 22 June 2025, CanCare celebrated its 18th Anniversary Thanksgiving Dinner with the theme The Key to Caring. More than 500 guests attended, including doctors, volunteers, supporters, cancer patients, and families, witnessing together CanCare’s 18 years of cancer care ministry.
We were honored to have Ms. Kerry Chan from Hong Kong as the host and Hong Kong vocalist Zino Chan performed classic songs. The evening featured moving testimonies and role-play presentations, inspiring all who attended.
9. New Book Order in Impermanence
In my years of caring for patients, I observed that most people are unprepared for death and are caught off guard when the unexpected occurs. This year, CanCare published its latest book Order in Impermanence, guiding readers to find inner peace in a chaotic age and, through faith, overcome the fear of death.
10. Music Sharing Concerts
On 3, 4, and 10 August 2024, we held four Symphony of Life music sharing concerts, aiming to give Sydney’s Chinese community a positive understanding and hope regarding life and death. We were honored to have Ms. Michelle Siu from Hong Kong as our guest performer. More than 1,300 people attended across the four concerts.
11. Film Sharing Session
On Australia Day (27 January 2025), CanCare hosted a free screening and sharing session of the film The Last Dance. The event allowed volunteers and patients to watch together a thought-provoking film on life, while also raising awareness of CanCare’s services. The cinema was fully packed, with over 200 attendees.
III. Strategies for the Coming Year
In the next financial year, CanCare will continue expanding ministries to spread its vision and services throughout the Chinese community in Australia. Our planned initiatives include:
- Fully launching Life and Death Education – Order in Impermanence workshops, training courses, and reading groups, encouraging participants to reflect on life’s meaning and direction, cherish life, embrace it, and make good use of their remaining time.
- Introducing electronic training courses (E-training) in response to advancements in the digital age.
- Following the positive response to Life and Death Education – Four Seasons of Life, we will partner with CASS to offer the course in Mandarin.
- Continuing to provide high-quality services to cancer patients and the broader community.
Conclusion
Looking back on the past year, all our activities and services were successfully completed. Thanks to the collaboration and dedication of CanCare’s supporters and volunteer teams. Their unity and commitment embodied the CanCare spirit, and through it all, we witnessed God’s mighty power at work.
I sincerely thank everyone for their selfless contributions.
