For long-time Blue Mountains resident Carolyn Skelton, Cancer Wellness Support has been part of the community story from the very beginning. She remembers when CWS founder, Robyn Yates OAM, first opened the doors to the original Katoomba Op Shop back in 2005. “Robyn was so well-loved and respected in the community, and everyone got behind her vision”, Carolyn recalls.
Over the last 20 years, Carolyn has watched CWS grow into the thriving organisation it is today. Like many locals, she has supported the Op Shops through donations and purchases, while admiring the expansion of support to even more people across the Blue Mountains, Penrith and the Hawkesbury.
Carolyn’s connection became much more personal when her daughter was diagnosed with cancer. She began to experience firsthand the support that CWS offers to people living with cancer, and to the people who care for them.
“I will always be grateful to the hospital and medical profession for saving my daughter’s life,” Carolyn says. “But I couldn’t bear to think what would have happened if we hadn’t had the support of Cancer Wellness Support to catch us.” Carolyn’s daughter continues to receive regular lymphatic massages, which have helped her continue to recover and turn the corner.
Carolyn describes the emotional complexity of supporting a loved one through cancer, saying “There are so many insecurities. No one knows what the future holds. There’s guilt. You wish you could swap places with them. You ask yourself, ‘Why is this happening to us?’ It’s very hard to handle on your own.”
For Carolyn, CWS has become a place where those feelings can be held with care and understanding. “Cancer Wellness Support has given me a place to rest. It dispels those insecurities, and it’s a nice feeling to know that help is always there.” Carolyn accessed counselling earlier on, and still receives regular massages to help relieve stress and tension, sound baths to immerse in sound and clear her mind, and Dru Yoga to help her find flow again.
Sometimes the support is simply being present in the calm and peaceful environment at the Robyn Yates Centre. Carolyn says “Even just being on the grounds is soothing. My husband Kevin and I regularly walk the labyrinth, enjoy the green spaces, and browse the incredible range of books in the library. The staff are absolutely amazing, with a smiley welcome when you arrive and a knowing touch on the shoulder. They seem to understand exactly how you’re feeling, without you even having to say a word.”
After experiencing this support herself, Carolyn felt inspired to give back. In 2024, she began volunteering at the Katoomba Op Shop, a place she had already supported for many years. Carolyn encouraged three of her friends to join as volunteers, and they now work together on the same day. “We love the community, the friendship, and the shared purpose. It feels good to know where it’s all going and what we’re supporting.”
For Carolyn, the greatest joy comes from knowing that Cancer Wellness Support will always be there for local people who need it, supporting the whole person through physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. She feels deeply grateful that this support exists within the community she calls home.
