Congratulations to Jilly, our Fred Awards Finalist

Rockhampton Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) Jilly Alloway received her finalist trophy recently for The Fred Hollows Foundation’s – ‘The Fred Awards 2021'.

The Fred Hollows Foundation is a not‑for‑profit organisation honouring the late ophthalmologist and humanitarian Fred Hollows, whose mission was to end avoidable blindness.

Fred worked tirelessly restoring sight to people in outback Aboriginal communities but also internationally, treating people in poorer countries, empowering their communities by founding factories to make intraocular lenses needed to restore sight, and trained surgeons to continue his work.

These annual awards search Australia-wide for a Humanitarian of the Year; someone who cares for others in a decent, practical and no‑nonsense way – just like Fred did.

Fellow EMD Carrie James nominated Jilly, and shared some of the words from her nomination:

I have never met someone so genuinely kind, thoughtful, caring and with such integrity. Jilly has worked for many years as an Emergency Medical Dispatcher for the QAS, helping people through what are sometimes the worst, most frightening moments of their lives, yet she has never become jaded, but is always compassionate to the core. If anyone in my family was hurt, frightened, dealing with a loved one dying or suicidal, Jilly is who I hope would be on the other end of the phone. And she’s the same with her colleagues and friends. A friend of hers recently had a motorcycle accident and is in an induced coma. Since he has no family or close friends, she has helped organise a group to pay his rent, so he doesn’t lose his house. She takes on extra tasks at work purely out of the goodness of her heart and is always not just ready to lend a helping hand but is attuned to and always willing to comfort colleagues having a tough shift or life. She is truly one in a billion!

Jilly’s reaction to her nomination and finalist success is also heart‑warming.

“I was (and still am) completely overwhelmed by the love and support that has been sent my way via comments on Facebook as well as via emails from work colleagues,” she said.

“This whole thing has been a really lovely experience for me.”

Jilly joined the QAS in 2007 as a fresh-faced EMD after working in rural Queensland as a governess and station hand after growing up on cattle stations in the state’s far southwest.

This shaped her career choice with the closest medical help via the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) which would either arrive from Charleville 640kms away, or Broken Hill, 727kms away.

Jilly said she always liked helping others and felt being an EMD was the right role for her.