By Aaron Cordy
AFTER the continued success of the Albanian Harvest Festival, the Shepparton Albanian Society (SAS) has again made a generous donation to GV Hospice.
The $5,000 donated by SAS has purchased a portable oxygen concentrator for people in palliative care at GV Hospice. The oxygen concentrator will allow people the freedom of mobility without having to lift one of the old machines around with them.
“We really appreciate the Albanian Muslim Society and the Albanian Harvest Festival, and their ongoing support. It is appreciated and it also helps to get our message about palliative care and some of the equipment and services we can provide to that Albanian community,” said GV Hospice CEO, Wendy Ross.
The Shepparton Albanian Harvest Festival is one of the largest community-run events in Greater Shepparton, celebrating food, family, music and Albanian culture, unlike any other event in Australia.
“I think until you’ve used GV Hospice care, you don’t know the work it does. Palliative care looked after my father; they looked after my wife’s father. And when you see what they do, they are very, very special people,” said the SAS President, Reg Qemal, on why they continue to support GV Hospice.
“As a community, they need support. We’re very fortunate to have hospice care in Shepparton. They’re the number one hospice care in Australia and have a 24-hour service. They can only really have the 24-hour service with the community’s support.”
