Geoff Andrews, a dedicated volunteer and lifelong supporter of health care, has decided to leave a gift in his Will to St Vincent’s.
Each morning, before heading off to one of his many community service roles, Geoff Andrews pins on his volunteer badges with quiet pride. It’s a simple gesture, but one that captures a lifetime devoted to community, compassion, and care.
“I’ve had a perfect life – health, travel, family, everything,” Geoff said with gratitude. “It’s time to give something back.”
From volunteering in Melbourne to delivering medical supplies to a remote mountain hospital in Nepal, Geoff’s life has been shaped by a deep belief in the power of healthcare and human connection.
“I remember trekking up to 3,500 metres in Nepal,” he said. “We ran out of most of our food and lived only on pasta for three days. But the people were so honourable – beautiful souls. Nepal taught me everything about humanity.”
Over the last 13 years, since moving from Sydney to Geelong, Geoff has volunteered at some of Victoria’s busiest hospitals, including Royal Melbourne Hospital. He currently volunteers with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and St John of God Hospital Geelong, always choosing roles that bring him close to helping people.
“I don’t want to just sit and read a newspaper three times,” he laughed. “I like to be with the people – to help, to listen. That’s what I’m here for.”
Geoff’s roots in healthcare run deep. His grandfather was an obstetrician, his grandmother a nurse at Sydney Hospital, and his daughter has worked in hospitals as an Occupational Therapist for years in the UK and Australia, including St Vincent’s in Sydney. Even Geoff himself spent 38 years as a Senior Medical Detailer for major pharmaceutical companies, promoting his products to GPs and hospital specialists in NSW.
Geoff has also been a patient on many occasions, including undergoing complex skin cancer surgery at the Skin Health Institute, St Vincent’s. He was deeply moved by the professional, clinical care and attention he received.
With the support of his wife Stephanie and their two children, Geoff made the decision to leave a gift in his Will to St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.
“It’s not about leaving a fortune,” Geoff said. “It’s about giving back to something you believe in. St Vincent’s looked after me so well. I want to assist them with research to be able to improve the lives of others.”
For Geoff, giving back is more than a duty – it’s a way of life. “I’ve had nine lives,” he chuckled. “I’ve had car accidents, skin cancers removed, bicycle crashes, you name it. The Lord must be looking after me, He is with me all the time.”
Now in his late seventies, when Geoff volunteers, he still greets each patient with a smile and a warm, comforting word.
“I just put myself in their shoes,” he said. “It’s not a lot of help, but when people are coming into hospital, they’re often vulnerable. If I can help them, that’s something.”
To learn how you can leave a gift in your Will, please contact Kristy Lawler, Gifts in Wills Manager, at kristy.lawler@svha.org.au or (03) 9231 3365.
