One of the most poignant moments in Chris O’ Neill’s life was when she returned to work after taking two years off to beat breast cancer coupled with fighting pneumonia and a blood clot in her lung.
When the Personal Care Worker walked back through the doors of Uniting AgeWell Strath-haven Community in Bendigo in September 2023, it felt like she was coming home.
She still chokes up as she recalls the day. “They kept my job open for me, and when I came back so many people rushed up to hug me and say how happy they were to see me. I was so excited to be back! I missed everyone terribly. Not everyone gets a chance to come back and do what they love.”
Chris has no words to describe the support that Residential Services Manager Kate Jackson and the staff from People and Culture showed her during her time off. “I’ve been at the organisation for 25 years now, and throughout it all I have felt supported, but never more than those two years that I took off to get better. The phone calls from them, the encouragement … it was incredible.”
Chris is hugely touched that Senior Care Manager Meaghan Perris still calls her “the Warrior Queen” and says to her “you have something that you simply can’t teach.”
Chris, 59, thinks this special something is the way she interacts with residents. “I love being there for them and making a difference to their lives. Their joy is my joy,” she explains.
The time off has also increased her loyalty towards Kate and the organisation. “I’m cancer free now and have many more years of work ahead of me. I look forward to it, I’m where I want to be, doing what I want to do.”
Chris, who was raised in Bendigo, worked in a clothing factory before studying a Certificate III in Aged Care and joining Strath-haven. She had previously volunteered at the site, so knew exactly how friendly the environment was.
Over the years, Chris has led by example, and now mentors students by buddying with them on placements at the facility. “Working in aged care has made me a better person,” says Chris. “I reflect more on life, I am more patient and kind – I really think the role brings out the best in me.”
Chris also loves the work life balance the job offers. She and her husband have two children and one grandson, and live on a smallholding outside Bendigo.