Charlie’s Angels:

Since 1978, hospital volunteers have been an integral part of The Prince Charles Hospital, providing compassionate support to patients and visitors during some of their most vulnerable moments. This began when a retired nurse, visiting a patient at the Jacaranda Nursing home, realised that staff needed assistance when caring for the elderly residents. The Jacaranda Nursing Home Auxiliary was formed in 1978 and later evolved into the Charlie’s Angels volunteers we know today. The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation was entrusted with the management and facilitation of this much-loved volunteer program in 2013. 

Each Wednesday morning, John Isaacs gets up and dons his bright yellow Charlie’s Angels shirt before making his way to the palliative care unit at The Prince Charles Hospital for his volunteering shift.

John has been a volunteer in this part of the hospital since 2001, which was the year after his wife passed away from cancer.

“I’d given up work to be home with her and care for her. When she passed, I was at a loose end,” said John.

John understands the heartache that patients and their family members may be experiencing within the unit where he volunteers.

“I have empathy with people here. If the opportunity arises, and they feel like having a chat, I’m there to speak to them, or give them words of encouragement or comfort,” he explained.

“When I leave, I go away satisfied knowing that I’ve been able to help.” 

Within the Palliative Care Unit, there is a tranquil outdoor garden space where staff and visitors can spend time together or have a meal. One of the jobs John takes great pride in is keeping this area presentable so people can enjoy their moments here.

“It puts perspective on my life about how fortunate I am at my age to be able to do such a thing, whereas other people don’t get that opportunity. My wife, for example, wasn’t able to have the opportunity, so I always look at it positively and think I’m fortunate to do what I do.”

Make an impact today

Charlie’s Angels of today

John is one of around 120 Charlie’s Angels who dedicate their time each week to help others at The Prince Charles Hospital.

These wonderful people in their bright yellow shirts are among the first things you’ll spot, welcoming staff, visitors, and patients who arrive through the front doors.

Support from the Angels varies, and, along with those who meet and greet at the front door, these invaluable volunteers can be found across 30 areas of The Prince Charles Hospital, including the Chermside BreastScreen Clinic.

How Charlie’s Angels help across the campus and beyond

They may provide directions to visitors, general support to staff, or they may engage one-on-one with patients and their family members, offering a friendly face, a warm smile, a calm presence, an empathetic ear – helping people feel just a little less alone during what might be one of the most stressful or painful parts of a person’s life.

Many of these volunteers have a deeply personal connection to health or their area of volunteering, as former patients, visitors, carers or staff.
Charlie’s Angels roles include:

• Companion roles, which focus on direct patient contact, such as supporting patients in wards.
• Support roles, which include only indirect patient contact and focus on providing administrative support (computer-based and non-computer-based) to staff.
• Companion and Support roles, which include direct patient contact and providing administrative support (computer-based and non-computer-based) to staff.

“Our volunteers work alongside dedicated hospital staff, offering practical support and bringing comfort, kindness and human connection in moments that matter most,” says Maree Adams, Volunteer Program Manager, The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation.

Even though the Charlie’s Angels volunteers have been around for decades, it wasn’t until 2013 that The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation was entrusted with the management and facilitation of this much-loved volunteer program.

Support expanded to Kallangur Satellite Health Centre

These days, Charlie’s Angels volunteer across The Prince Charles Hospital, at the Chermside BreastScreen Clinic, in the Foundation’s office and, from January 2025, at Kallangur Satellite Health Centre.

This centre offers a range of services, including a minor injury and illness clinic, kidney health services, and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health hub.

At present, there are 6 volunteers who provide assistance across the centre.

Charlie’s Angels supported by Kedron-Wavell

Long-standing partner, Kedron-Wavell, has provided generous sponsorship of the Charlie’s Angels over more than a decade.

This support has been instrumental in the program’s success and has helped ensure the volunteers continue to make a positive impact on our community.

We are truly grateful for Kedron-Wavell’s partnership and ongoing commitment to sustain and strengthen volunteer services over time, ultimately helping the incredible community which Kedron Wavell is part of.

Caboolture Hospital volunteers

Since July 2022, the Foundation has also been proud to manage the volunteer program at Caboolture Hospital.

As with the Charlie’s Angels, these volunteers assist with greeting members of the public and wayfinding, as well as providing broader assistance to patients, staff and members of the public throughout the hospital.

The Caboolture Hospital volunteer program has grown from just 12 volunteers in
2022 to more than 50, now contributing over 300 volunteer hours each week.

Impact of Hospital Volunteering

Since the Foundation took over the management and facilitation of the Charlie’s Angels program, more than 320,000 hospital volunteering hours have been donated to help others.

For the Foundation, this is a reminder that generosity comes in many forms. While donations and fundraising play a vital role in supporting medical research, essential equipment, hospital projects and compassionate care, time can be just as powerful.

A few hours given each week – a conversation, a smile, a helping hand – can change how someone experiences their hospital journey. In many moments, those volunteer hours are just as critical as financial support, offering comfort, dignity and connection when people need it most.

Visible reminders that healthcare is about more than medicine and machines, it’s about people.