GV Health Oncology clinical director Dr Javier Torres Corredor, Peter and Maria Copulos during a morning tea hosted by oncology staff and GV Health Foundation to thank the Copulos' for their donation earlier this year.
“There’s never been enough money from the government to do anything that we need, and deserve, here in the Goulburn Valley,” Shepparton philanthropist Peter Copulos says.
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It’s the reason why he and his family have taken it upon themselves, through the Peter and Maria Copulos Foundation, to bolster local facilities and services, particularly for cancer, for many decades, and the reason why they have again jumped on board with GV Health Foundation’s current fundraiser.
The foundation has donated $1 million to the I Care for Cancer Care @ GV Health appeal and pledged a further $1 million when the Victorian Government provides funding for stage two of an integrated cancer centre in Shepparton.
“Cancer is a terrible disease. It’s everywhere and it affects not just the patients, but their families and friends,” Mr Copulos said.
“It’s affected many members of my family, too ... my parents died of cancer, my mother, my father, my uncle, my brother, and even I had cancer when I was 36.”
Mr Copulos said his family had chosen two “very important” criteria for deciding how funds were donated and that GV Health ticked both boxes.
“The most important one is that the money benefits the Shepparton region; I don’t want any of the money to go outside Shepparton,” he said.
“The second was that we prefer to donate towards better healthcare.”
The Copulos Foundation funded the construction of the current cancer and wellness centre on site at the hospital around 15 years ago, which has now been outgrown.
The existing Peter Copulos Cancer and Wellness Centre that has been outgrown.
The foundation also supports Shepparton’s annual Biggest Ever Blokes Lunch (which funds two specialist prostate and bowel cancer nurses at GV Health), as well as providing personal items for cancer patients and equipment for the hospital’s emergency department, among other essential items and services.
“I’m very proud to be a part of the community campaign to raise funds for a new cancer centre,” Mr Copulos said.
“I’m very honoured to put my name to it and I hope that many others in our community will be able to donate also.”
Mr Copulos called on locals to show the Victorian Government that the need for an integrated cancer care centre in Shepparton was an urgent one.
“This is needed now; we’ve been waiting for long enough,” he said.
“We need everyone in the community to rally together to send a message to the government.
“Irrespective of what the amount is, we need a record number of donors, whatever they can afford to donate.
“All I can say is, everyone, please donate whatever you can afford to help this project go through.”
The GV Health Foundation asks individuals, businesses and community groups to donate to its $5 million I Care for Cancer Care @ GV Health fundraising appeal to help bring first-class cancer care to the Goulburn Valley.
Donations can be made via the foundation’s website.
Community members interested in the various opportunities to contribute to and support the appeal can contact Amy De Paola via email at amy.depaola@gvhealth.org.au
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