2022 marks twenty-seven years of continuous service that CanRevive has provided for cancer patients and their carers in the Chinese community in Sydney. While the core values and objectives of CanRevive have not changed since its inception, service deliveries have been adapted to fit in with the continuous changes in the social, economic and demographic environment in and around Sydney affecting the Chinese community.
From the initial seven volunteers, that included the three founders, in the early days of Canrevive’s operation, there are now seven staff and over one hundred volunteers involved in the delivery of a wide range of services. These are provided not only to cancer patients, their carers, families and friends, but also to the general public in the Chinese community, especially in the form of public information sessions and advocacy on issues that are culturally and linguistically appropriate for the Chinese community.
The First five years strategic plan was accomplished with the formation of CanRevive Cancer Foundation (CCF). The Board of Trustee Directors of CCF is tasked with fundraising and the management of the financial assets of CanRevive Inc., With the introduction of a renewed corporate structure, Executive Committee Members together with staff and volunteers were on track to further develop CanRevive Inc.’s operational model going forward.
In line with changing demands from members of CanRevive and the Chinese community of Sydney, the Second five years strategic plan, an outreach program that was started in 2008 in Hurstville, has been extended to four regions, namely central, inner west & eastern Sydney, southern Sydney, southwestern & western Sydney and northern Sydney. Each region now has designated staff as coordinators. Whereas core support programs and public information sessions have been and will continue to be central to CanRevive’s delivery of services to cancer patients and their carers, the format and process of engagement will differ between the four regions.
CanRevive has embarked on its Third five years strategic plan covering the period of 2021 to 2025. The pandemic put a halt to implementation in 2021, but on the positive side, highlighted the need to accelerate changes to adoption of technologies in the delivery of services to our members and the community. Notably heavy reliance on the use of electronic means to keep our support to patients and carers during the lockdowns via zoom, google meets to continue support groups, and the live stream of information sessions via U-tube were highly successful. With changes to CanRevive’s constitution, planned process to embrace technology to enhance administration and delivery of services had been approved by the relevant government authorities as of 8th December 2021. CanRevive currently has regional support service centres operating in Haymarket, Chatswood, Hurstville and Westmead and will continue outreach services to Southwestern Sydney (via Liverpool) and Central Coast (via Hornsby)
CanRevive, through its dedicated staff and volunteers, has devoted considerable efforts towards the development in each of the regions, a network of collaborators that included local medical institutions and medical professionals, community organizations and local Governments. Together with input from Federal and State Governments as well as other National and State bodies involved in not only the medical field, but also in areas of social engagement. CanRevive was able to continuously refine and improve on the information and support services it delivers to the community. For instance, there are now more public information sessions being delivered on weekends at various locations. CanRevive will further consolidate and refine this mode of operation in the coming years. In the area of management and administration, CanRevive will continue to ensure that a sustainable corporate structure is maintained to support its service focused operation going forward.
CanRevive is eternally grateful for the ongoing and generous support from our many donors and supporters that have enabled CanRevive to continuously provide effective and efficient services to the Chinese Community free of charge.
We urge you to continue your ardent support for CanRevive, because your support is our strength.
Eric Yeung
President – CanRevive Inc.
Winter 2022
