We are delighted to celebrate Jenny Jenner who has been acknowledged as a Mater Foundation Community Hero!
Jenny is the driving force behind the annual Kalbar Sunflower Festival in the Scenic Rim. This year’s event, attracting more than 12,000 visitors, raised an incredible $110,756 to fund a clinical nurse consultant at the Mater Cancer Care Centre Springfield.
The festival featured more than a million sunflowers in full bloom, and was a tribute to Jenny’s husband, Russell Jenner, who passed away in July 2023 after an 18-month battle with oesophageal cancer.
Russell was a patient at the Mater Cancer Care Centre in Springfield and South Brisbane and was moved by the kindness of the medical teams who supported him throughout his treatment.
“Russell was known as the ‘sunflower man’ and was pivotal in creating this wonderful sunflower festival,” Jenny said.
“We hope the continuation of the annual Sunflower Festival will be his legacy and our fundraising efforts will help support others going through chemotherapy and radiation treatment at Mater.
“Russell enjoyed seeing the happiness and joy that sunflowers brought to people.”
Jenny and Russell often gifted bucket-loads of sunflowers to the nurses and patients at Mater in a gesture of thanks for the medical care provided, and to brighten the day of fellow patients also going through treatment.
Mater Foundation Community Hero recognises and celebrates the inspiring contributions of our volunteers, fundraisers and advocates.
Thank you, Jenny, we value your outstanding contribution!
