Mark Munro

Mark Munro at the helm as the Administration and Fundraising Manager.

“You know, we have 6 bedrooms here and since opening we have cared for over 1,800 clients, at no cost except for their medication and that can be for up to 3 months.”

With a yearly budget of over $2.2 million Mark acknowledged that Grants are not always accessible and his activities in the community seeking sponsors and fundraising are essential as is the generous support of the Queensland Government and our local Buddhist Community.

The hospice also has over 70 volunteers and they work in the kitchen, housekeeping, gardens, maintenance, courier, reception, accounts, flowers and fundraising events.

At this time, I wanted to know more about the man himself and asked him to tell me about the man behind the fundraising.

“I attended Cairns High School and did well in my marks, but I was a hands on person and not academic. You don’t have to be an academic in life to succeed. As you can see.”

“I got involved in the School Council, became a team leader and fundraiser.”

“What skills did you have to do these roles?”

“It’s the talking skills, you know. Being honest and being a doer. If you promise to do something and follow it through.”

“I worked for a charity and then an event company in Toowoomba and the position was advertised and I was lucky to get the job. I was given some keys and I started in April. My office still had plastic on the floor and I had to organise for all the furniture.”

“What was your greatest challenge?”

“Networking, meeting people and meeting with businesses to come and support us.”

“I have a great team here, a great leadership team and fantastic volunteers to support me and the Hospice.”

“I was adopted too, I was born in 1970, January the 8th and I became a ward of the state in Ipswich, my family had come over from Poland to escape oppression, and it was on 13 October 1973 that I was able to go home with my parents, Rodney and Patricia Munro who had adopted me.”

“I’ve never looked back, I’ve had a wonderful life. Adoption was good for me.”

“What are you most proud of?”

“The success of the Hospice, the acceptance from the public of what we do and I’ve been here for 20 years and helped to raise millions of dollars.”

“It takes a certain type of person to work in a hospice, don’t you think?”

“Our Nursing team are wonderful, our administration team meet with the families and they are so very understanding.”

“What do you like to do away from work?”

“I love comedy. If I can make someone laugh, it makes me feel great! I love going to comedy shows and I also love going to Jazz shows. I love cooking, (laughs and pats his stomach) especially Thai but I can’t stand colliander or fish sauce. So I don’t use these.”

“Do you have a person that you admire?”

“I admire a lot of people and try to take a little from each of them.”

“Mark, look in the mirror, and see that there’s a person to admire.”

Knowing Mark from the time that he joined the Toowoomba Hospice has been a great honour for me as he is a generous and passionate person, immensely likeable and totally engaging. I cherish our conversations.