Faces of Hope: Mahasen

This month’s Face of Hope is high school student, Mahasen, who spent one week with Fight Cancer Foundation as part of her work experience placement. Motivated to make a difference in the lives of others Mahasen was keen to learn how Fight Cancer Foundation supports people living with cancer and their families.

How long have you been involved with Fight Cancer Foundation?

I spent my one week of work experience with Fight Cancer Foundation.

What do you do? (What does this involve/look like?)

I help around the office, offering assistance to anybody that needs something done.

How did you become involved?

I became involved through work experience.

Why do you choose to volunteer your time with Fight Cancer Foundation?

My aspiration in life is to build an empire solely devoted to helping people. That’s what I want to wake up every day for the rest of my life and do. Choosing Fight Cancer Foundation meant that I could get an insight into just how hard I have to work in order for me to reach my goals. From the moment I clicked onto the website and read the objectives this organisation strives to achieve, I automatically knew that this was something I needed to be part of.

What has been your favourite part about volunteering with Fight Cancer Foundation?

My favourite part about volunteering with Fight Cancer Foundation was visiting and helping out at the patient accommodation centre in North Melbourne, BMDI Rotary House. I wasn’t aware that such accommodation existed – it’s simply remarkable.

The house manager is an absolute angel. The connection shared between the house manager and the families at the house is heart-warming. It’s as if they’ve known each other their whole lives. The event that almost left me in tears was when one of the residents was released from the hospital and allowed to go home. When the house manager saw the resident enter the house she immediately asked about the results and when the good news was shared, she showed immediate happiness. She was so joyful, you would think they were siblings!

I’m so thankful that I was given the opportunity to meet some of the cancer patients staying at the house. Just knowing that they’ve made it this far and are still smiling makes you realise just how much this foundation is doing for them.

I am so grateful for Fight Cancer Foundation’s willingness to let me on board and for treating me like I belonged.