Citation…
In his Presidential Year, Robert Fisher and his Board accepted a recommendation that the Rotary Club of Melbourne should lead Australia into a new focus on infectious disease control by supporting a heightened focus on Hepatitis, which was a major disease problem in Australia and globally.
A working group of Club Members was formed to investigate the possibilities and considered several ways in which the matter might be addressed. Eventually the Club decided on a project to raise awareness of Hepatitis among Rotarians in the Victorian Districts and formed a partnership with Hepatitis Victoria to make presentations to Rotary Clubs around the State under a program the rubric End Hepatitis Now.
The administrative task involved in seeking interest in Clubs and organizing presentations was large.
In July 2019, in Kevin Sheehan’s year as Club President, Penny Trumble, Alan Trumble’s daughter, volunteered to assist with the Project. Penny was ideally qualified for the role. She became administrator of the activity within the Rotary Club of Melbourne and liaison person with Hepatitis Victoria.
After working in the Education Department for more than 40 years as an English teacher, librarian and student wellbeing coordinator, Penny retired in July 2017. She spent most of the next twelve months travelling and when she returned to Melbourne, trained as a volunteer City Ambassador, wearing a red uniform and helping visitors to Melbourne with information and directions. She is very good at telling people where to go!
In the End Hepatitis Program, Penny used her organisational skills to contact Rotary Clubs throughout Victoria and liaise with Hepatitis Victoria (now LiverWell), offering information sessions to raise awareness of hepatitis in our community and to make people aware that effective treatment is now available for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. An educator from LiverWell, a person with lived experience of hepatitis and an RCM member presented to Rotary Clubs, either in person or via Zoom.
In 2020 Covid-19 swamped most things infectious disease and also the activities of Rotary Clubs. Under Penny’s guidance the End Hepatitis Now program quickly switched its modus operandi and made presentations to Zoom meetings of Clubs around Victoria. They were very well received.
Penny was indefatigable in organizing Rotarian volunteers and LiverWell presenters under such difficult conditions being both extraordinarily effective and popular in the role. As a result over 40 presentations were made to Clubs in Victoria by Hepatitis Victoria’s health educators in 2019-20. It was a very successful program for both Rotary and Liverwell.
Penny, we appreciate your persistence and countless volunteer hours in supporting our R100 project reflecting the Rotary ideal of service above self, and the goals of the Rotary Foundation. You now join many other distinguished volunteers as a recipient Paul Harris Fellow.
