Care centre president steps down

By Tania Martin
AFTER realising a dream with the opening of Emerald’s palliative care unit, Fernlea House, president Jan Lancaster has stepped down and is hoping to spend more time in her garden.
Ms Lancaster has spent the past five years dedicating all her spare time to Fernlea House to get the facility up and running.
But she said the time has come for her to step down as president and allow other people to get involved in running Fernlea House.
Ms Lancaster said although she will still be involved in Fernlea as a volunteer, giving up the presidency would give her a much needed break.
The vision for a palliative care in the hills was born around Ms Lancaster’s kitchen table in 2001.
Ms Lancaster had a vision that she shared with a small group of women.
It then grew to become a project that was supported by Federal MPs and the local community.
She said that it was amazing that in just over five years the vision for Fernlea House had grown from a meeting with 30 women to now having more than 100 supporters.
In November last year, the dream for Fernlea House was realised when it was officially opened to the public.
Ms Lancaster said Fernlea has grown since November from offering respite care once a week to being open three days a week.
She said in the next couple of months Fernlea would be able to open four days a week, but she said the ultimate dream is to see it operating as a 24-hour respite care facility.
Ann Davis of Kalorama has taken over as president and aims to achieve Fernlea’s ultimate goal of becoming a 24-hour unit.
She has been involved as a member of Fernlea House for the past three years and has been on the committee for the past eight months.
Ms Davis is no stranger to the presidential chair as she has been the president of MELBA Support Services for the past fives years.
Ms Davis said she also hopes to see Fernlea open on weekends and even after hours during the week.
Fernlea House is currently only open three days a week and during business hours.
“I am looking forward to taking on this very healthy organisation and carrying on the good work of the volunteers to reach the goal for 24-hour respite care,” she said.