Keolis Hunter

For the past 15 years, Newcastle Transport has organised a ‘Pink Bus’ to take staff, friends and family to the NSW Breast Screen clinic next to Calvary Mater hospital.

This involves decorating the bus, staff dressing in pink, the coordinator booking the appointments and the rostering team ensuring that frontline participants are not rostered on.

It started because Kylee Stewart, a 40-year-old bus driver and mum of two young children, received a shock diagnosis of breast cancer. She has subsequently had treatment and survived two bouts of breast cancers.

Over 300 staff have been checked, with three women receiving breast cancer diagnoses.

This is a staff-led initiative that was started by (now retired) bus driver, Margaret Pannell. This has now been handed over to bus driver Tracey Gaston to organise. Tracey’s sister Jacky is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer.