Tasmanian Volunteer Award winner Make-A-Wish Hobart Allana Wilson passionate to help others

Motor neurone disease may have stolen Allana Wilson’s voice, but it won’t stop her from volunteering with Make-A-Wish Hobart. She was one of the Tasmanian Volunteer Award winners.

Winners of the Tasmanian Volunteering Awards 2024 Nigel Clark representing Aurora Energy (left), Risdon Vale Volunteer Fire Brigade and The Regatta Association volunteer Dillon Monks, Steve Martin representing Toast for Kids Charity, Make-A-Wish Foundation volunteer Allana Wilson, St John Ambulance Tasmania volunteer Carl Graham, St John Ambulance Tasmania volunteer Vanessa Henry, Carolyn Whamond representing Calvary Healthcare Tasmania.

Allana Wilson has been with Make-A-Wish Hobart for three decades, and a cruel diagnosis 19 months ago hasn’t stopped her from granting wishes.

Mrs Wilson first discovered she had motor neurone disease at the age of 64, and has since become non-verbal due to the “beast” of a disease.

She still attends the Make-A-Wish Hobart meetings and has been in the role of wish granter for eight years, in which she’s bestowed 250 wishes for children with critical illness.

Despite the barriers she now faces, Mrs Wilson was clear she would continue volunteering for as long as possible.

Her hard work was recognised at the Tasmanian Volunteering Awards.

Communicating with the help of her husband Allan, she said she was overwhelmed with emotions upon winning the Volunteer of the Year Award.

“Going through the disease is hard enough, so to have something good — first winning volunteer of the year in her group and then the big one — was absolutely fantastic,” her husband said.

She said volunteering gave her an amazing feeling because she was passionate about caring for others.

Make-A-Wish volunteer Michelle Kean, wish granting co-ordinator Allana Wilson, national patron Robyn Moore and volunteer Wendy Russell at the What Women Want fundraiser at Glenorchy in 2021. Picture: file

Mr Wilson described her as a caring, loving person and “good wife”.

The impact she’s made across 30-years volunteering with Make-A-Wish was celebrated earlier this year, which included a visit from the child Mrs Wilson first granted a wish to, who is now an adult and mother.

“Allana was so surprised and shocked to see her,” Mr Wilson said.

Her tireless work spending many long nights on the computer bringing about wishes also includes raising over $300,000.

Along with the good feeling of helping others, making friends was another major reason she enjoyed volunteering, Mrs Wilson said.

Her efforts were one of more than 332,100 Tasmanians who have generously donated their time and skill this year.

Speaking following the Volunteering Tasmania awards ceremony on Wednesday, chief executive Mel Blake congratulated all the finalists.

“As we celebrate the Tasmanian Volunteering Awards each year, we shine a spotlight on the profound effects volunteering has across our communities,” Ms Blake said.

Other winners included Carl Graham for his leadership and management at St John Ambulance Tasmania, Dillon Monks for his inspiring example of young people volunteering at the Risdon Vale Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Regatta Association and Vanessa Henry, also at St John Ambulance, for the individual impact she’s made.

Toast for Kids Charity was recognised with a volunteer impact award, Calvary Health Care Tasmania awarded for inclusive volunteering and Aurora Energy for corporate volunteer impact.

Originally published as Tasmanian Volunteer Award winner Make-A-Wish Hobart Allana Wilson passionate to help others