- Home >
- About us >
- Our people >
ABOUT US
Our people: We’re all here to help more Kiwis beat bowel cancer
Read on to learn more about our hard-working team, board members, medical advisors and patron
Our Team
Rebekah Heal
General ManagerMeet Rebekah
Mary Bradley
Communications & Campaigns ManagerMeet Mary
Victoria Thompson
Nurse Support CoordinatorMeet Victoria
Jo Morgan
Grants & Partnerships ManagerMeet Jo
Odessa Weber
Finance and Support AdministratorMeet Odessa
Sheena Revington
Planned Giving ManagerMeet Sheena
Bella Pond
Communications CoordinatorJo Morgan
Using over 20 years of experience with not-for-profits, Jo’s skills have enabled us to apply for, and win, significant funding – meaning we can help more New Zealanders with bowel cancer than we would otherwise.
Sadly, cancer has touched the lives of many of Jo’s friends and family with a close friend passing away from bowel cancer only a few years ago. So for Jo, working for Bowel Cancer NZ is not just about raising money to support those with bowel cancer, it’s also about raising awareness. With the hope that future generations will be free from its impact.
“At Bowel Cancer New Zealand we’re an amazing team. We’ve all got our individual strengths and when we work together the results are outstanding. It’s such a great feeling knowing that I play a part in helping to save lives”
Odessa Weber
Finance and Support Administrator
After 10 years working in the Financial Services industry in London, Odessa moved to New Zealand with an extensive knowledge of the finance industry and a desire to channel this into something more meaningful and rewarding.
Odessa’s role as our Finance and Support Administrator enables her to do exactly this.
Her days are packed with “a little bit of everything” and she’s really proud of the role she playing in supporting the rest of the team in our mission to raise awareness of Bowel Cancer and to offer support.
“In this role I really feel like I’m giving something back as the advice and support we give can be lifesaving. For me, that’s life changing!”
Rebekah Heal
General Manager
Rebekah leads a large and diverse team – all working together to reduce the impact of bowel cancer. From humble beginnings, the charity has grown to six employees and with each hire, Rebekah has been able to add another strength to our offering and reinforce our commitment to a New Zealand free from bowel cancer.
Rebekah previously worked for another non-profit organisation, but it was the role at Bowel Cancer New Zealand that intrigued her and, like so many of our staff, gave her the chance to work at something meaningful and to do good within the community.
Rebekah has been really encouraged to see a breaking down of the stigma around bowel cancer.
“I’ve noticed more and more people are now more likely to say they have bowel cancer instead of just saying they have ‘cancer’. They’re willing to talk about it whereas before there’s been huge shame and stigma. For me that’s a real win.”
Sheena Revington
Planned Giving Manager
Sheena is an experienced fundraiser who has raised over $30 million for capital and operational projects in New Zealand and the UK. Motivated by a desire to see community-driven initiatives succeed, Sheena believes we all have a right to live the best life possible.
As Planned Giving Manager, it is Sheena’s role to work with a wonderful network of people who are interested in combating bowel cancer, so we have the money needed to make the biggest impact possible.
“It’s exciting to be part of such an innovative and inspiring team. Through better screening, treatments and support we can catch bowel cancer earlier, which will in turn help people live their best life possible. By combating bowel cancer on every front, we will all live in a healthier Aotearoa New Zealand.”
Mary Bradley
Communications & Campaigns Manager
Mary is in charge of making sure our mission and message gets out to as many people as possible. It’s something that’s close to home for Mary as she was diagnosed with bowel cancer herself when she was only 28 and just had her first baby.
16 years later and Mary is officially a grateful bowel cancer survivor with two more children.
Now as our Communications Manager, Mary oversees our successful and impactful awareness campaigns. Over the past few years, these campaigns have encouraged the public to ‘Not sit on their symptoms’, made them aware they’re ‘Never too young’ and directed them to ‘Get off their butt’!
The words used in these campaigns may be tongue-in-cheek, but the messages are deadly serious.
“Bowel Cancer NZ is a loud and effective voice and we need to be!” Mary says. “Bowel cancer is treatable if it’s caught early and I love being part of an organisation that is making such a difference.”
Victoria Thompson
Nurse Support Coordinator
Victoria is our vital point of contact for patients and families, providing emotional and practical support to individuals and their whānau affected by bowel cancer. Her reassuring and expert help ensures that those with bowel cancer – whether newly diagnosed or further on in their care – are given the right info and are asking the right questions of the right people.
After a busy career as a community palliative care nurse, Victoria was ready for a change and her role at Bowel Cancer New Zealand is a perfect fit for her skills and empathetic nature. “Stories are my thing,” Victoria says;
“I have a background in walking alongside people on a difficult journey and sharing both good and bad times with them.”
Education is another important part of Victoria’s job, and a typical week often sees her delivering talks and information sessions to community groups and corporate gatherings. “It’s so important that we all learn more about bowel cancer and what to be aware of, every person who knows what to look for is potentially another life saved and I’m proud to be part of that.”
Bella Pond
Communications Coordinator
Our Board
Stefan Corbett
ChairMeet Stefan
Annika Lim
Deputy ChairMeet Annika
Kevin Jones
TreasurerMeet Kevin
See profile
Rachel Afeaki Taumoepeau
Meet Rachel
See profile
Linda Faulkner
Meet Linda
Jemma Balmer
Meet Jemma
See profileStefan Corbett
Chairperson
Stefan is the Chair of our Board and likes to joke that he’s been, “in a bit of a scrap with bowel cancer for a few years now.” Since his diagnosis and treatment, he’s been on a mission to help the organisation grow and he brings significant leadership skills from his work as a former New Zealand Diplomat, trade negotiator and international legal adviser.
Stefan was keen to share his experience as he felt he really needed to speak out about what happened to him. Stefan had delayed going to see a doctor when he first noticed symptoms and admits that if he’d acted earlier, and GPs had listened better, things could have been very different.
After a year as an ambassador for Bowel Cancer New Zealand, Stefan was invited onto the board and after a few years, became our Board Chair. “I’m delighted to be in the position to be able to help the organisation to grow and be more effective, it’s such a privilege to work here and with the team we’ve got. It’s not something I’d ever imagined I’d be doing but here I am, and now I’m hooked.”
Annika Lim
Deputy Chair
Annika has been a firm supporter of Bowel Cancer New Zealand since we opened our doors in 2010 and became a board member in 2019. Her professional background in law and governance, with over 15 years’ experience at top-tier law firms and banks in New Zealand and overseas, adds a vital and much appreciated skill to our organisation.
However, it’s Annika’s own journey through breast cancer that drives her strong desire for better outcomes for those with bowel cancer.
“I now see things through a different lens since having breast cancer, it’s made me so aware of the heart-breaking inequity in diagnosis, treatment and outcomes between different kinds of cancer. It is a privilege and luck that I can call myself a survivor. I want better for those with bowel cancer, especially as it’s such a treatable and beatable cancer, if caught early.”
“I’m ever hopeful and I’m really honoured to lend my experience and voice to the incredible kaupapa of Bowel Cancer New Zealand.”
Kevin Jones
Kevin’s career as a Senior Project Manager in the corporate world means he’s the perfect person to keep an eye on the numbers and make sure projects are delivered on time and within budget.
Kevin’s been on the board of Bowel Cancer New Zealand since 2017 and has a keen focus on increasing our income as he knows how vital this is. “The more money coming in means the more we can spend on getting that really important message out there: bowel cancer can be preventable, beatable and treatable.”
Kevin’s wife has a family member with a history of bowel cancer and this has always driven his desire to give something back to the charity. His personal experience, combined with his experience and skill with numbers means Kevin was a natural fit for another role – Chairman of our Audit and Risk Committee.
Rachel Afeaki Taumoepeau
Board Member
Rachel is a strong advocate for bowel cancer information and advice for Pasifika and Māori communities after losing her mother to bowel cancer and then her father being diagnosed with the disease after a colonoscopy just five years later.
Thankfully her father survived, and this meant Rachel had experienced two very different outcomes of bowel cancer as a family member. She wanted others to benefit from what she’d learned and know that it’s ok to push for referrals and for answers.
Rachel’s professional background is rooted in strategic business management, governance operations and advocacy in the community sector. All of this puts her in an excellent position to make sure Bowel Cancer New Zealand’s message reaches deep into communities and cultures where embarrassment, stigma and even a lack of the right language has put people at a disadvantage.
“Bowel cancer can happen to anyone…. of any culture, any background and almost any age. But caught early, like with my father, it can be treated. I want everyone to hear that and to know what to look out for.”
Linda Faulkner
A career in policy, and a desire to share her governance experience, attracted Linda to the board of Bowel Cancer New Zealand. And as a bowel cancer survivor, Linda is also living proof that you can never be “too young” to have the disease. Diagnosed at just 30, Linda feels very fortunate that it was picked up early and she had surgery within two weeks. Thankfully she’s been clear of cancer ever since.
A broad and diverse range of skills and people makes for a successful board in any organisation and we are delighted to have Linda’s particular experience in supporting Māori in policy decision making.
Like all of us at Bowel Cancer New Zealand, Linda welcomes the “fantastic news” from the budget that the bowel screening age for Māori and Pasifika people will be lowered from 60 to 50 years old starting in 2023.
Jemma Balmer
Board Member
Jemma joined our board towards the end of 2022 and brings a fresh face plus a wealth of experience in fundraising with a professional background in coaching not-for-profits.
Jemma’s proud to be volunteering her time as a trustee with Bowel Cancer New Zealand as sadly, family experience has already brought her close to it. “This cruel disease took my grandfather’s life and is the second highest cause of cancer death in New Zealand. I want to be part of changing that.”
“I’m honoured to be part of an incredible organisation with passionate people that are aware of the inequities of who bowel cancer affects within New Zealand and can do something about it. I’m particularly excited about supporting the work the whole team does in that area.”
Medical Advisors
