It’s all about Quality of life for Pride of Australia nominee Louanne Johns

AT the age of 14, Louanne Johns founded a support group to help feed South Australians in need. Three decades later she’s still volunteering.

AT the age of 14, Louanne Johns founded a support group to help feed South Australians in need.

In the more than three decades since her first foray into volunteering, the Ethelton resident has spent hundreds of hours volunteering and has even made a career out of it.

At the heart of the 48-year-old’s commitment to help others has been her unpaid role with Camp Quality, an organisation that provides fun escapes and programs for children with cancer.

“I’ve always been interested in helping people less fortunate,” Ms Johns said.

“I can’t do anything about the journey the Camp Quality families are on, I can’t do anything about the treatment, but I can give them some respite and some amazing memories for the family.”

Ms Johns has been nominated for a Pride of Australia medal in the community spirit category for the support she has given the not-for-profit charity over the past 20 years.

“I’ve been involved for so long now, I love watching the children grow,” she said.

“You see them go from children who are quite ill and the battle they have against this terrible disease to these amazing young adults,” she said.

This includes Largs Bay teenager Olivia Clarke, who successfully battled cancer as a primary school student.

“It’s an incredibly worthwhile thing to do,” Ms Johns said.

She also devotes her working life to volunteers, through her role as a program co-ordinator with Anglicare.

Ms Johns oversees about 130 volunteers who act as mentors in the organisation’s Star Bear and Star Bound programs, which aim to help children and teenagers deal with the loss of loved ones through therapeutic sessions, sports, games and arts and crafts.

To nominate a local hero for the Pride of Australia Awards, visit advertiser.com.au/prideofaustralia