The benefits of contributing your business skills to community
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give - Winston Churchill”
I have had the privilege to meet many inspiring people. Individuals, businesses, and groups have shared their stories, struggles and successes, their contribution to community and different perspectives that have often can challenged my thinking. It is the reason I wrote my book, and also started my podcast during the 2020 lockdown… because I know our conversations and connections can benefit others.
Recently, I spoke with with Anna Ronald , a YTM Member, and a CPA registered tax accountant with over 15 years accounting experience within the sporting and not for profit sectors in both Australia and the UK , I learnt through our conversation that Anna primarily works with SM clients helping them to grow their business and achieve their goals.
As our conversation developed, and went a little deeper, I learnt Anna works with two pro bono clients, both cancer charities- So Brave and Cancer Support Angels. As the conversation unfolded, not only did I learn about these organisations but also about the “why” behind her pro bono work and “why” she contributes as she does.
Originally from Scotland, Anna and husband were born, met and married in the UK .
Arriving in Australia in August 2013 their life changed in more than one way. Anna was diagnosed with breast cancer in September, 2013… just two months after moving from the other side of the world, leaving all of family and friends back home. They very nearly packed up and moved back to Scotland.
Fortunately they had wonderful support from Cricket Australia and Anna’s colleagues there, and also from Anna’s sister who had settled in Australia some time before.
In our podcast conversation, (24 minutes) Anna shared with me her story and learnings:-
“When you're diagnosed with cancer, you go into this very prescribed period of time where you're very closely monitored on in constant contact with your team of nurses, surgeons, oncologists. There's a whole team of people that support your care because I was told I had to have chemotherapy. My husband and I decided to fast track into a cycle of IVF as well because chemotherapy can affect your fertility as a younger woman. So that was quite important to us. Because of that point, we didn't have our daughter Emma, so it was kind of straight into a cycle of IVF and then surgery and chemotherapy.”
It was Anna’s journey that had a profound effect on her life and is what encouraged her pro bono work. Going through that experience made her realise, that as a younger women, when you are diagnosed with cancer, you go into the treatment room and surrounded by people who are a lot older, perhaps 20 years, than you.
Some of the things Anna had to deal with, included :-
the cancer treatment
the impact to your fertility
family related issues
career issues
Anna found there wasn't anyone she could really relate too. She did find support available online in forums, through online websites and things like that, but it was reasonably limited at that point in time.
Once through her own the journey she wanted to help and through Social media came across two organisations that she now works with.
Cancer Support Angels and So Brave
So Brave- is a wonderful organisation which offers support for younger women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. They raise awareness and educate young woman who are diagnosed with and suffer with breast cancer. Anna joined the board in 2020 as treasurer where she oversees the financials, offering financial insight and support were needed to the board.
Cancer Support Angels is just one year old. They are more local to where Anna lives in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne, and they provide support for families who are actually going through the process, whether it's financial hardship or emotional struggles due to a cancer diagnosis. They send out what they call angel packs full of goodies, aimed at helping patients through a time of need. It might be some hand cream to help with dry hands. It might be closing some chocolate goodies to help procure they do they? Their aim is more hands on support at a critical point.
Pro Bono Work
Anna’s contribution via pro bono work is a massive help to both organisations. She doesn’t charge for her time and secondly, there's a networking benefit there where, she is quite vocal in her support for these two organisations. In fact, I was unaware of them, until our conversation. I would be interested to know if you were aware of them?
Her background is not for profit accounting, so that can be quite specialised, with the specific tax benefits for not for profit entities and smaller entities to be understood.
How to find opportunities for Pro Bono work
I asked Anna what advice she would give to people who might be thinking about opportunities for pro bono work and how they would go about doing that?
Her response- “ Do it. It's a very, very rewarding thing to do. Find something that really resonates with you, a business that you feel really passionate about . You want to be able to continue to support them, so I feel it has to be a cause that's really quite close to your to heart . I would also just say, don't over commit your time because I know myself. I want to help everybody, so make sure that you do what you can well and don't over commit your time.”
It is worth sharing that Anna also feels she has gained from her experience- ”Personally, I feel that it's just a great sense of giving back. Particularly with So Brave because I'm helping other women under the age of 40 at a very hard time in their life. So I just feel it's really nice to be able to give back. I had some wonderful experiences through my own time when I was in the whole cancer treatment process. You know, that was wasn't a particularly nice process to go through, but you meet some incredible people who support you in very unexpected ways.”
Anna also shared that -
“I feel every day I'm learning something new, whether it's helping them through Covid-19 or from learning a lot from the other board members. I feel like every day's a learning opportunity.”
How could you contribute
There are always opportunities for people to volunteer and to help organisations, like these. Check out their websites , or it could be as simple as sharing this conversation, with friends or your network, who need support and access after a cancer diagnosis, or have a desire to offer their services on a pro bono basis.
If you would like to hear other inspiring conversations, you can subscribe to my podcast HERE
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