Across the Chalmers Foundation, volunteers play an essential role in supporting individuals and families in our community, whether through cancer support programs, events, or by welcoming visitors at the Volunteer Desk. Through their time, care, and compassion, they help create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported.
Their role goes beyond the tasks they take on. Volunteers offer something deeply human: a listening ear, a warm welcome, and a sense of connection that reminds people they are not alone. In every setting, they help build a community grounded in care and kindness.
This Volunteer Week, we’re taking a moment to recognize and reflect on the individuals who give their time so generously, and the impact they make every day.
Volunteers Transform Cancer Support Into Community
Robyn Allaby’s journey with cancer support began as a patient.
She received her diagnosis in 2021-2022 and at that time, support systems in New Brunswick were limited.. That experience stayed with her and shaped what came next.
“I vowed that once I was on the other side, I would support others.”
Today, Robyn volunteers with the Yoga4Cancer program, helping create a space where individuals can come together, connect, and feel understood. What began as a quiet room of strangers coming together to practice yoga, has gradually grown into a supportive community, where participants arrive early, stay after, and build meaningful relationships grounded in shared experience.
For Heidi Biggs, a Kinesiology student from UNB, volunteering began with witnessing someone she loves navigate cancer.
After seeing her grandmother persevere through two different diagnoses, she came to understand how important strong support systems are during challenging times.
“Support systems can make all the difference during the hardest moments.”
Through the Stay Strong program, Heidi works alongside participants as they build confidence, set personal goals, and support one another. Since she began volunteering at the program, she has seen individuals engage, form meaningful friendships, and grow stronger in a space built on encouragement and connection.
The path to cancer support became clear for Victoria Harris after multiple family members were diagnosed during her final year of college. That experience led her to pursue a career where she could support others in a hands-on, meaningful way as a Registered Massage Therapist.
“There is no greater opportunity than the opportunity to serve others.”
Through her work, Victoria supports individuals living with cancer by helping manage pain, reduce physical tension, and ease the side effects that often come with treatment. Her approach focuses on creating a safe and calming environment, where patients can take a moment to rest, reset, and reconnect with their bodies.
In each session, she adapts her care to meet people where they are, offering techniques that support both comfort and recovery. For many, it becomes more than just a treatment. It’s a pause in the middle of a difficult journey, where they can feel supported in a different, more personal way.
Volunteering became deeply personal after Heidi Bieber lost her mother to colon cancer in 2021. That experience shaped her desire to give back to others navigating similar journeys, alongside a lifelong influence from her father, who spent decades working with volunteers.
“Volunteers make the world go round.”
Today, Heidi shares that sense of care through her sound bath sessions with Chalmers Foundation Cancer Support. In these moments, participants are invited to slow down, rest, and be surrounded by calming sounds that offer a sense of peace during an otherwise overwhelming time.
Hearing how these sessions help others has been deeply moving for Heidi. For her, volunteering is not only about offering support but about creating small moments of comfort and connection that stay with people beyond the session itself.
Charlotte Kennedy’s journey with Chalmers Foundation began through a personal connection to cancer support.
With her mother working as the Manager of Chalmers Foundation Cancer Support, and her family navigating an eight-year cancer journey with her grandfather, Charlotte has seen firsthand how meaningful support can be during difficult times. That experience shaped her desire to give back.
“Being around the participants reminds me how resilient people can be.”
Charlotte, a high school student at Leo Hayes, volunteers with both programs and events. As a program leader for dance programs at the Care & Support Centre, she helps create a welcoming space where participants can move to music and enjoy their time there. She also contributes her time to fundraising initiatives like Radiothon and Gin & Jazz Night.
For many volunteers, giving back to Chalmers Foundation has become a meaningful tradition.
Judy Ingram and Lyne St. Pierre have both spent years volunteering with the Foundation’s holiday gift wrapping booth, bringing not only their time but also a sense of joy and connection to the community.
For Judy, who has been involved since the program began, gift wrapping is more than just a seasonal activity. It’s a chance to reconnect with familiar faces and build new relationships along the way. Over the years, what started as a simple volunteer role has turned into something deeply personal, a place where donors have become friends, and each shift brings moments of connection.
Lyne shares a similar experience. Having volunteered with the Foundation for many years, she has seen how Gift Wrap has become a tradition for both volunteers and the community. Year after year, people return, not just for the service but for the sense of warmth and care it brings during the holiday season.
The Impact of Volunteering
Each volunteer comes to this work with a different story, whether through personal experience, family, or a sense of calling. What connects them is a shared commitment to showing up for others with care, empathy, and understanding.
Because of volunteers, cancer support becomes more than a program. It becomes a community.
If you are interested in giving your time and making a meaningful difference, we invite you to learn more about volunteering with us.
