This wife travelled every day to see her husband. How our volunteer drivers make it possible for her. 

We rarely take time to reflect on the little things we take for granted in life; such as, seeing your loved ones and holding them in your arms. That feeling, that horrible feeling of your heart sinking as you’re forced to leave a loved one behind is one that is heartbreaking. This was and is a reality for Win Gibbs.

The issues faced by the seniors have become an unfortunate regular story in our society. This is the remarkable story of Win, who has been separated from her husband of xx years due to distance after he became ill and needed constant care at a nursing home.

It’s a heart-wrenching dilemma that Win was faced with but one that she needed to make for her husband.  After her husband’s health deteriorated from dementia, it was determined he needed constant and supervised care. Win being 88 herself couldn’t provide the kind of care he needed and now was faced with being separated from her husband with limited transport options to go visit him.

By Herself. Every day. Every week. For months. Win was determined to visit her husband. Despite her not being able to drive long distances or have the money always for a taxi Win would visit him every day. This became a financial burden for her on top of her husband’s health.

“He has been there for 12 months now due to his dementia, and he is only getting worse, unfortunately. However, he is a strong nut and he is hanging on. It’s so hard being away from him, I can’t sleep well if I don’t see him.”

Although seeing him every day made her so happy, taxi’s were becoming a difficult task for her. To figure out transport every day can be a difficult task for anyone let alone an 88-year-old woman. With these challenges in mind, it became clear that having someone drive her there would be a great help in providing freedom and independence to visit her husband regularly.

Volunteering Gold Coast was able to provide a cheaper and safer alternative for Win so that she could continue visiting her husband every day without the financial burdens.  Now from $10 a trip and organised without hassle Win is picked up daily by our volunteer drivers at home. This gives Win the relief that she can support her husband every day without the stress of organising it herself. 

“Volunteering Gold Coast is a great help in my life, before I was catching taxis back and forth. With VGC the prices are so much more affordable and accommodating to my schedule. If I could say anything about the volunteer drivers is that they are such wonderful people, I couldn’t give them enough praise.”

Wins love for her husband can be seen evidently in the effort she puts in just to see him. This is just one of many touching stories we come across with our driving services. It’s heartbreaking to see so many struggle to receive the proper transport they so desperately need.

The rising cost of living has become a common topic of conversation as it undoubtedly affects many Australians. Older Queenslanders relying solely on the age pension and other government allowances are one group who are significantly impacted by cost-of-living pressures.

66,745 older Australians living in the City of Gold Coast earn less than $400 per week. Many are struggling to pay for transport to keep their independence and quality of life for when they need it the most.

“Pay it Forward a Trip to Someone in Need” is a campaign that will benefit senior Australians struggling financially to access free of charge transport when they need it most and are unable to pay for it themselves.

For Win, her experience is about connecting with her husband and escaping the loneliness of life without him, with the help of VGC Win is able to see her husband every day at ease. VGC Transport has been helping many senior Australians with financial limitations to get to where they need to be when they need it most. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide many of the trips free of charge but through your donations and your help people like Win can travel free of charge to see their loved ones and feel supported by the community.

(Update: Unfortunately Win’s husband passed away shortly after this was published. Our thoughts are with Win and her family during this difficult time).

Please help us to keep this program running and ultimately provide free transport to those who need it. Donate Now