Media Release

Transport with Care
The Shirley Shuttle

Shirley Shuttle is named after Mrs Shirley Galvin who passes away in 2006. Shirley, after being diagnosed with cancer, endured the inevitable appointments for treatment which was time consuming and tiring with unpleasant after-effects, but she had the help of her daughter, Barbara.

During the many treatments that her mother received Ms Barbara Galvin meet many people who didn’t have family members or friends to provide the constant transport to the treatments. Barbara wanted to help which resulted in the donation of a Toyota Mini Bus to the Cancer Council of NSW which was based at Erina Fair; with the Central Coast local Health District generously providing the fuel. Eventually, as the demand for patient transport and maintenance of the vehicle increased, Community Transport Central Coast agreed to administer the service.

In 2009, Freemasons on the Central Coast (FotCC) and Lodge Wyong Tuggerah Lakes provided $10,000 to help with the purchase of a Toyota Mini Bus – Shirley Shuttle No. 2 – costing approximately $35,000.

This year, Shirley Shuttle celebrates 15 years of service to local cancer patients and the Freemasons on the Central Coast have donated $21,000 to meet the replacement cost of one of four Shirley Shuttle vehicles. This will enable the door-to-door service for ‘transport challenged’ cancer outpatients to attend oncology appointments to continue for at least two years.

Barb Galvin said,
‘Who would have thought that my donation of $50,000 in 2008 for the purchase of the first vehicle could have resulted in such an amazing service for cancer outpatients to attend potentially life saving oncology appointments … The service could not continue without the ongoing generosity of Central Coast Community Organisations and Major Donors and Sponsors’.

The Shirley Shuttle is a very worthwhile community service and FotCC are very proud to support it.