Our History

In 2003, with a generous $20,000 contribution by Mr. Brian (Dec) and Mrs. Joy Kahlefeldt, Country Hope was incorporated that year, and a board of management was formed, which included Alan Lean as chairman, Babs Donaldson, Yvonne Braid (Dec), Ged Madden, Steve Dwyer, Rod Dunlop and Peter Walsh (Dec.), Dr Lee Jeffery and Kirsty Cole, who were the inaugural members.

Country Hope started with an annual holiday camp for the diagnosed children and their siblings, which contributed to the extraordinarily positive impact on the lives of the children. Although the camps undoubtedly achieved great success in increasing a child’s ability to cope, they also offered parents much-needed respite during incredibly challenging times. It was quickly identified that an annual camp was simply not enough.

It became clear that country families faced significantly more pressures and additional needs when dealing with such life-altering events compared to families residing nearer to the major paediatric hospitals in Sydney and Melbourne. In response to these identified needs, Country Hope expanded its mission beyond the annual camps to provide comprehensive emotional and financial support to families throughout the year.

In 2006, Country Hope Inc. was changed to Country Hope Limited (by guarantee). This then required a directorship, and a Board of Directors was elected (view our current Board of Directors). That year, we further broadened our services by extending support to children with other life-threatening illnesses beyond cancer, recognising the universal need for assistance among families facing any serious childhood diagnosis.