PORT Macquarie Base Hospital is part of Jan Maskill's life.
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The former Community Board of Advice member and long-serving pink lady recalls the move from the Hastings District Hospital to Port Macquarie Base Hospital as a challenge but she says it was for the betterment of the whole community.
"I think a lot of people were stressed because the old hospital was part of Port Macquarie for so many years and this was privately run," she said.
"After a cooling off period, if you could call it that, people became used to the hospital and the attitudes changed a lot."
The Port Macquarie Base Hospital Community Board of Advice members provided feedback to the hospital management to achieve and maintain the patient care standards, represent community views and assist in the governance of the hospital.
Mrs Maskill said the hospital had continued to grow and she was very proud to be part of it.
"It's an incredible place and I think that is why so many people come to live here," she said.
Meanwhile, Mrs Maskill has been part of the United Hospital Auxiliaries of NSW in various locations for 54 years during which time she spent 10 years as state president.
During her time as state president, then Health Minister Craig Knowles asked Mrs Maskill to be part of a board of advice, as a rural and remote representative, for the NSW Health Department.
She was on the committee which formulated the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme, which financially assists people to help offset travel costs to access specialist medical treatment.
Mrs Maskill is second vice-president of the Port Macquarie Pink Ladies Branch of the United Hospital Auxiliaries of NSW.
Every Friday morning she can be found at the hydrotherapy pool.
"It is a real pleasure," Mrs Maskill said.
"It is challenging but it is very rewarding to see people who come in and they can hardly walk, and after the sessions they walk in and walk out."
Port Macquarie Pink Ladies Branch's 140 members have given almost 15,000 voluntary hours to the hospital this year and raised $13,922 over the same period, including money donated from organisations and businesses.
Mrs Maskill enjoys the comradeship and playing a part in an organisation which helps the patients.