The smile of much-loved and missed Pioneer Valley man Mick Essam has been memorialised on a plaque and now greets patients entering the Mackay Base Hospital Oncology Unit.
Mr Essam sadly passed away in 2018 following a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Members of the Breakaway Horse Riders Club, Dows Creek Hall Committee and Mr Essam’s children arranged for the plaque to be made following their generous donation of $18,000 to the Mackay Hospital Foundation.
The funds were raised from their annual Charity Ride and Bush Carnival in 2018 and donated to the Foundation who purchased three Fresenius Treatment Chairs for patients to utilise at Mackay Base Hospital’s Oncology Unit.
Friend and President of the Breakaway Horse Riders Club Roxanne Aprile said Mr Essam adored his children, horses and enjoyed being in the saddle on club rides and bush camp outs.
“Mick was a long-time club member who gave a lot of his time to the club and others in the horse riding community,” she said.
“He had a very colourful personality, an amazing laugh and would have been so chuffed with the amount of money raised and new chairs that were purchased.
“A special thanks to club members and close friends of Mick, Kath Ryan and Graham Stabler, for their continued support of the Charity Ride to actively raise funds.
“Since our 2018 Charity Ride, the club has proudly donated funds each year to Mackay Base Hospital’s Oncology Unit.”
Cancer Services Clinical Nurse Consultant Heather Skien said the addition of three new treatment chairs will greatly benefit patients attending for chemotherapy.
“It’s never easy for people to attend their appointments, whether it’s their first time or if they have been with us for some time,” Heather said.
“Patients can be sitting in treatment chairs for up to seven hours in the unit. These new chairs have replaced existing chairs and will allow patients to rest more comfortably as they receive treatment.
“We are always looking for more ways to make our patients’ visits as easy as possible and are hugely grateful to the Breakaway Horse Riders Club, Dows Creek Hall Committee and Mackay Hospital Foundation for helping make a difference to our patients’ experience.”
