We have been supporting people with cancer and their whānau since 1929.
More about the Cancer Society Central Districts
Debra Elgar - Central Districts Division, Chief Executive
An extensive background and career in the health sector plus experience in management and consulting in the private health sector; Cancer Society Central Districts Chief Executive Debra Elgar is well qualified for the role with both her clinical and management background that fits well with the society.
Her association with the Cancer Society isn’t new, having first become involved with the charity during her 20s when training as a nurse in Wellington; she recalls her nursing class being visited by a representative from Cancer Society Wellington, on a volunteer recruitment drive “It seemed a really good idea at the time, so I joined, and now, well quite a few years later, I’m still involved” she said.
She has spent time serving on the Whanganui Centre executive committee and has also held advisory positions for the Central Districts Divisional executive.
Graeme Baker – Central Districts Division President
Graeme Baker commenced with the Cancer Society as a volunteer with the Whanganui Centre to Co-ordinate for the Relay For Life in 2003. He has been a Vice President of the Division for 4 years, and was unanimously appointed President in 2024 when the previous President, Dr Garry Forgeson stepped down.
Graeme has been involved with community organisations in the Whanganui region, and both nationally and internationally. He has lead the NZ Electrical Contractors union, and engaged with Royal Life Saving – as an international delegate to the Commonwealth Council.
Graeme is passionate about quality Governance and leadership; as part of his Divisional role, Graeme adheres to three principles of good governance:
- That there should be a continuous improvement of knowledge and expertise,
- That operating overheads of operations be minimised by sharing resources,
- That there should be a commonality of purpose of any representative Board for the greater good.
“We have to be continually learning and developing – growth is from leadership and the Board is responsible for leading” he said.
Despite trying to retire, Graeme still operates his business as an Electrician in Whanganui and continues to support a range of charities in his region.
Graeme was awarded a QSM for services to community in 2022
Pamela Murphy - Gisborne Executive Committee President
Pamela was appointed to the position of Trustee in February 2014 and was additionally appointed to be a Gisborne Centre representative on the Central Districts Executive. Since that time Pamela been appointed onto the Central Districts sub-committee to overview/make scholarship allocations.
Pamela took up the role Chair of the Gisborne Centre Trust in July 2015. Pamela has had a long history of community involvement including time spent on the Gisborne District Council.
Monique Bastin - Taranaki Executive Committee President
Monique has been a Cancer Nurse Coordinator for the Taranaki District Health Board for the last eight years, and prior to this was a Palliative Care community nurse for Te Rangimarie Hospice in New Plymouth, so has been immersed in Cancer Care provision in the Taranaki Region for over 15 years.
In 2018, she completed her Masters of Nursing, specialising in Cancer Treatment, Prevention and the Psychosocial impact of a malignant diagnosis in long term survivorship.
She joined the Cancer Society New Zealand Taranaki Centre Executive Committee in 2016, and was elected Chair in 2019.
She is passionate about improving outcomes and access to services in the region, and is excited and optimistic about changings coming from a national, regional and local level.
Jenny Vickers - Whanganui Executive Committee President
Jenny has been involved with the Whanganui Centre of the Cancer Society since 2017, and was appointed President of the Whanganui Executive in 2024.
She is an Accountant with a Whanganui firm and supports and audits a number of local businesses, so is well known in the community sector of Whanganui.
Jenny brings her accountancy and business acumen to the Centre as a monitor and guide supporting the revenue strategies of the local centre and the wider community.
David Trim - Hawke's Bay Executive Committee President
David has been President of Hawke's Bay Centre since 2022.
He has a business Enterprise background and is a trainer and consultant for business development services.
David has a varied portfolio of event management (including the Hawke's Bay Christmas in the Park) and is president of the Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce.
John Waldon PhD (Massey), MPH (Otago) - Manawatū Executive Committee President
John has been a member of the Manawatū Executive Committee of the Cancer Society since 1999, since then he was invited to serve as a member of Cancer Control NZ (five years) and was a member of the Cancer Society’s Scientific and National Health Promotion Committees.
John was awarded a life membership in 2008. John also has an interest in children’s rights and assisted the preparation of three NGO reports on the status of New Zealand children to the United Nations Committee for The Rights of the Child. John was invited to attend the 2003 session of the United Nations Committee for The Rights of the Child as an observer, and 2010 and 2016 sessions to co-present both NGO reports.
John and Fiona moved to Palmerston North in 1994 where Fiona practices as a Physiotherapist and John undertakes contact research and is a practicing Restorative Justice Facilitator.
2024 Annual Reports
1929: The “Cancer Society” organisation was formed when the New Zealand Branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign opened in Wellington with the ‘conquest of cancer' as its mission, The Taranaki Centre was then known as the Wellington – Taranaki – Hawkes Bay Division.
1935 - 1937: Taranaki Centre began, mainly for the purpose of obtaining Radium and a Radiotherapy Department for Taranaki. Taranaki Centre was incorporated under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 on 27th October 1937.
1951: Manawatu Centre was established with the provision of Radiotherapy Services in Palmerston North. £2,000 was raised in its first year for Radium.
1958: First cobalt machine for the North Island was operational at Palmerston North Hospital, purchased from funds raised by the Manawatu Centre committee. £22,000 raised in just six weeks.
1952 – 1958: Radiotherapy clinics established in outlying hospitals within the Central Districts territory. Cobalt machine set up in Napier under the Hawkes Bay Centre.
1962-1963: Central Districts Division was established on the 4 September 1963. Palmerston North would be the location for the divisional headquarters.
1964-1968: Central Districts Division focused on education and publicity with the emphasis on school groups. Distributed numerous pamphlets. Mobile education unit was set up. Sponsored a doctor for overseas training in Radiotherapy.
1967: St Vincent de Paul Society established Ozanam house for out of town patients and their relatives who required treatment at Palmerston North Hospital. House named after the founder of St Vincent de Paul Society, Frederick Ozanam.
1980s: The first cancer support group began in Hawera July 1981. Volunteers provided support to cancer patients, assisted family members nursing terminally ill patients at home and acted as a link between patients and various resources of the Society.
1989 - Manawatu Centre along with Wellington Division piloted the first Daffodil Day. This was so successful it was taken Nationwide 1990 and has become one of the mainstays in fundraising for the Cancer Society.
2001 - Manawatu brought the first Relay For Life to New Zealand. Since then it has grown in strength and success with many events happening each year in New Zealand.