Albury residents John and Sharyn Waldron are on a mission to help battle cancer through a monumental recycling effort.
The couple started a charity called Cans for Cancer in 2014 to support charities and groups by dropping off recyclable items at the scrap yard.
Since 10-cent recycling machines opened across New South Wales in 2017, the pair have fed about two million cans and bottles – including 440,000 last year – into the machines and raised about $200,000 for charities in the process.
Mr Waldron said their efforts were driven by the loss of his mother when he was a child and the death of his sister Linda on February 1, 2013.
"My sister Catherine was diagnosed with beast cancer on March the 1st, 2013 — so a month to the day," he said.
"Thankfully at the moment she's still cancer-free after treatment.
Support for firies, dog rescue
The Cancer Council's Relay For Life, the Border Cancer Hospital and the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund have all benefited from the Waldrons' fundraising efforts.
Mrs Waldron said they had also supported firefighters during the Black Summer bushfires.
"We put the ad out saying, 'We're collecting for the bushfires,'" she said.
"Our recycle page just went mad with people … we ended up with 22,000 cans donated.
Mr Waldron said they had also provided support to the Wodonga Dog Rescue – including more than $5,700 so far this year – because cancer had impacted their dog, Buddy.
Mr Waldron said when they were told Buddy only had 12 months to live when they picked him up from the rescue, the plan was to let him go.
"We couldn't let that happen," Mr Waldron said.
"He was three at the time.
'Incredible achievement'
Cancer Council New South Wales community coordinator Catherine Goodall said the Waldrons reflected the compassion of their border community.
"I think they cracked that $100,000 mark back in 2020 and then they've continued to do that through the battle of COVID and all the closures," she said.
Albury-Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund chair Michelle Hensel said the Waldrons had raised more than $5,000 for the organisation over the past year.
She said their fundraising efforts across the community over the past eight to 10 years had been amazing.
"What an incredible achievement to just give that time and energy directing that to improve cancer services here," Ms Hensel said.
