Suzanne Dunbar, of Vancouver, B.C., is the recipient of our Volunteer of Distinction Advocacy Award.  

This award recognizes an outstanding volunteer who demonstrates exceptional passion, dedication and enthusiasm for brain tumour awareness. Recipients of this award are distinguished by their leadership and commitment to advocating for brain tumour health research and innovation in Canada. 

Can you share your connection to the brain tumour community?  

My journey began on September 27, 2002, when my six-year-old son Quinn was diagnosed with medulloblastoma. We had two older daughters, and this changed our lives forever.  

Quinn was a smart, funny and caring young boy. He went through treatment with such bravery and taught us so much. After an almost seven-year battle, Quinn passed away on December 31, 2008.  

Although I lost my son, I wanted to continue to help and support other families in his honour. It has helped with my own grief over the past 24 years when I can volunteer with the many organizations I am involved with, including Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. 

As this year’s theme for National Volunteer Week is ‘Ignite Volunteerism,’ award winners were asked to answer the following questions with this theme in mind. 

What sparked your decision to volunteer with Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada? 

For the past 10 years, it has been an honour to volunteer for BrainWAVE in B.C.  

Giving back to the organizations that supported me during Quinn’s journey is important to me. With my lived experience and my role as patient/parent advocate at BC Children’s Hospital, I feel I can support families that attend our events. Seeing families connect with each other at our events is why it is so important to me to be a part of the BrainWAVE team.  

We have a wonderful team in B.C.! Volunteering ignites my passion of supporting families with a child with cancer. 

Can you share a remarkable or stand-out volunteering moment? 

There have been many wonderful events with BrainWAVE.  

The one that stands out happened during COVID. We could not do in-person events. I was able to put together Christmas gift bags that I and another team member delivered safely to families’ doorsteps. It was so special to connect, chat and check in with the families, even from a distance. 

What message would you share to help ignite volunteerism in others this year? 

Once you have volunteered at a Walk or other events and see how it affects your community, you will be energized to volunteer again and again!