When Siblings Step In
When Damian was diagnosed with a terminal illness, his younger siblings
Ben and Claire stepped into the role of his caregivers.
As he approached the end of his life, they were able to care for him at home
with the help of the Karuna team.
Damian’s story is not an isolated one. Often, when a patient is referred to
Karuna, we care for more than just the individual. Because carers and family
members need support too.
Match your gift this June to make an even bigger difference for families facing terminal illness.
Monday 15 June - Sunday 28 June 2026
Monday 15 June - Sunday 28 June 2026
We believe that everyone deserves a shoulder to lean on at end-of-life.
Thanks to the generosity of our match-giving partners, gifts of less than $5000 will be DOUBLED between Monday 15 June - Sunday 28 June 2026.
Scroll down to learn more about match-giving and how your donation can make an even bigger impact this end of financial year.
Can we lean on your support this Tax season?
How match-giving works
When you make a gift between Monday 15 June - Sunday 28 June 2026, your donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar from our match-giving fund.
This fund was created thanks to the support of our match-giving partners. We want to say a special thank you to Morgans Foundation, the Hull Family Charitable Trust, and the three anonymous Karuna supporters whose generosity helped to create this fund.
The total fund is $55,000. With your help, that means we could raise $110,000 for Karuna care.
LEARN MORE:
Match-giving starts in:
How your support makes a difference
FOR SPIRITUAL CARE
Connecting with a Spiritual Care Practitioner can help patients and family members find peace and comfort at end of life. Especially for patients like Damian, who had always been a spiritual person.
A donation of $108 provides access to a virtual counselling session with a Spiritual Care Practitioner.
FOR NURSING SUPPORT
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FOR GRIEF AND LOSS
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FOR SPECIALIST CARE
Karuna's specialist palliative care doctor, Dr Wendy, provides additional medical support to patients who need it. She also works closely with our nursing team, to manage pain and other symptoms.
A generous donation of $1200 can cover the cost
of three appointments with Dr Wendy.
FOR CARE BEYOND THE PATIENT
A significant donation of $3000 can support multiple carers and family members through education, group programs, or 1:1 support.
FOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
A very generous gift of $4500 will cover the cost of one syringe driver, a necessary tool for managing pain at home.
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When Damian needed extra support at the end of his life, he moved back home to live with his mum, Bronwyn, and younger brother, Ben.
Ben quickly stepped up to be one of Damian's primary caregivers. Their parents noticed that nothing was a problem for Ben.
He changed bags. Helped with medication. And made a real effort to keep Damian active even as his cancer progressed.
Ben would take Damian to Bribie Island and plan activities for them together. Damian was an amazing sportsman growing up, and these trips helped him to stay active even when his body was changing.
Ben made sure Damian still felt included. He helped him to remember the important things in life.
Shortly before he passed away, Dee told me that he would come back and visit as a butterfly. Butterflies had been an important symbol for us during his illness and treatment. We even incorporated butterflies into his farewell ceremony.
Dee was very specific about what it would look like when he visited. “A brown and red butterfly,” he said.
I remember laughing at the time. “I don’t think butterflies come in those colours, Damian!” I told him.
And then one day I was in the garden at home. He had recently passed away. And a butterfly landed on my shoulder. Of course, it was brown and red.
Our home was the family home. It was always his home too. It is very special to think that a part of him continues to be here with us.
Making the time for special memories:
When Damian moved back home to Brisbane from Sydney, his younger sister Claire valued the extra time it gave their family to make memories.
They celebrated birthdays, Christmases, and other family events. Creating precious memories for everyone to keep.
Claire and Damian also shared a special conversation about how he would send feathers for her young children to find after he passed. Whenever they do, they always pause and say 'hi' to their uncle.
Claire also remembers how she and Damian would have long and hilarious phone conversations during this time. She loves the memory of his contagious laughter.
It was an absolute privilege to be involved in Damian’s end-of-life care. I’m so grateful that we can all look back and know that we did everything we could for him.
Damian also taught me a lot during this time. It was amazing to see his positive attitude continue to shine even on difficult days.
He learned the Wim Hof breathing method during treatment, to help with the side effects of chemotherapy. I also took up Wim Hof in support of him - it was something we could do together.
His purposeful, lengthy exhale breath sound has never left me, and continues to inspire me. This breath exercise gave him and I great resolve and relaxation. It's something I still practice today, and it always makes me think of him.
A heartfelt thank you to our generous match-giving partners
