The late Robert (Bob) Soltys was able to receive palliative care at Boonah Hospital during the final weeks of his life. His widow, Susan, was so grateful for the quality of care he received that she established a fund to help develop the careers of rural nurses, starting in Boonah.
During the final few weeks of Bob Soltys’s decade-long prostate cancer diagnosis, Susan Soltys (née Hamilton) was able to travel five minutes to see her husband each day because he was cared for in the Boonah community where they lived.
It sounds like it should be simple but with limited beds and nurses in smaller regional hospitals, it was never guaranteed.
Susan is profoundly grateful for the experience and it’s an opportunity the retired biochemist wishes others to have available.
“That was the hugest relief in my life,” Mrs Soltys said.
“It was 50-50 as to whether there’d be a bed for him or whether he’d have to go to Ipswich, but Bob was able to be kept at Boonah Hospital for three weeks, so I could go twice a day and see him.”
During those visits to Boonah Hospital, Susan began speaking with the nurses about how their jobs could be made easier.
“A workable solution was to establish a professional development fund that could give rural nurses more training opportunities,” she said.
In late 2025, Susan contacted the West Moreton Health Foundation and by January 2026 the Robert Soltys Rural Nurses Fund was born.
Training to benefit the community
Susan donated $100,000 to establish the fund and donations from other friends, family and supporters have raised a further $30,000 in a matter of months.
In another incredible act of generosity, Susan has pledged to match all funds raised over her initial $100,000 donation.
In just six months, the fund (which is managed under the auspices of the West Moreton Health Foundation) has been created and already dispersed almost $20,000 to the first 14 successful applicants.
Director of Nursing at Boonah Hospital Amanda Banks said the grants would build the skills of the hospital’s 60 nurses and complement the training already available through West Moreton Health.
“These scholarships have made nurses feel invested in and that ripples out into the community,” said Mrs Banks.
“As a result, the Boonah community will have nurses skilled in critical areas like maternity emergencies, paediatric emergency care, and X-ray operation.”
Watch: ABC News covers Susan's story and the impact of the Robert Soltys Rural Nurses Fund
West Moreton Health Foundation CEO Scott Young said Susan’s generosity of both funds and time was incredible.
“Susan has decided to turn the loss of her life partner into a legacy in his name, and she’s done it in a remarkably short space of time,” said Mr Young.
“Rural nurses play a crucial role in their communities and often take on a wider variety of responsibilities than their city counterparts.
“The West Moreton Health Foundation is proud to provide ongoing support to the Robert Soltys Rural Nurses Fund, which will be a fantastic enabler of care in our community.”
To support the initiative, visit our Robert Soltys Rural Nurses Fund page.
The fund will invest in rural generalist nursing education, scholarships, leadership, inpatient services, primary health, telehealth, oncology, and emergency retrievals.
