The Kiama community has once again joined forces in an incredible display of compassion and generosity to provide comfort to women undergoing breast cancer surgery. The Simple Gift of a Bag is an organisation with a particularly dedicated Kiama team of volunteers. 

The group of volunteers work to provide drainage bags required after breast cancer surgery. On Saturday 9 March the organisation hosted a community workshop day where a group of dedicated individuals utilised the freshly cut perspex templates to help with their task.

Members like Sandra Williams, Bev Gaykema and her husband Ed Gaykema are bringing innovation and community spirit to the cause. The group works diligently to cut fabric to the correct shape and size but together Bev and Ed thought up a clever solution to streamline the process to produce the bags faster by cutting templates out of sheets of perspex.

This allows group members to trace around the plastic cut out ensuring more bags can be made and distributed to hospitals throughout Australia.

Members of The Men’s Shed, Kiama were working hard in the lead up to the workshop to ensure the templates were ready for use and Saturday saw the group of women tracing, cutting and sewing the final products.  

Sandra and the group want to specially thank the following local businesses that have all lent a hand to help fuel and fund this charitable endeavour: 

• Stephen Lucas at Cammthane Pty Ltd in Albion Park has donated several sheets of the clear perspex needed to create the templates. 
• The Men’s Shed, Kiama for coming together to create the templates 
• Subway
• Kiama Downs Surf Club
• Saltwater Cafe 
• Gainsborough Bakery
• Jas at Minnamurra Post Office for the nomination of the People of Post Grant
• Rotary Kiama 
• Minnamurra Lions Club 
• Kiama Golf Club 
• Kiama Leagues Club 

The project sheds light on the remarkable attitude of generosity and kindness in Kiama. 

Plans are underway to share the templates with other teams involved with The Simple Gift of a Bag in Brisbane. With so many businesses and individuals involved, it’s heartwarming to see so many helping hands working on this great cause.