A Sunshine Coast paramedic who has walked 1700km and cycled 2500km to fundraise for people in need has been recognised as a finalist for a statewide award.
Emma Williams is one of 22 people selected as a finalist for the QBANK Everyday Heroes Awards, which celebrate the achievements of workers within Queensland police, fire, health, ambulance, corrections, justice, public service, education and volunteers.
The Kawana Station advanced care paramedic joined the Queensland Ambulance Service in 2015 while in her first year of a Bachelor of Paramedic Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
She was inspired by her Aboriginal grandparents Maureen (Wakka Wakka) and Georgie (Gungarri) Williams, who had a vision to ensure their family received an education.
“I always had a dream to attend university to make my grandparents proud, especially my grandma, who I was very close to growing up,” she said.
Ms Williams also works on Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi Country as an Indigenous liaison officer and QAS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Committee member, driving CPR awareness, liaising with stakeholders on health equity and working with the community on education, employment and engagement initiatives.
She was nominated by a colleague for her fundraising efforts after joining the second half of her partner James McAlloon’s Footsteps for Good trans-Australia walk from Alice Springs to Broome in 2022.
The walk raised funds for The Purple House to support Northern Territory communities by improving accessibility to healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In August this year Ms Williams also completed her solo Alice2Alex bike ride, a 2500km trek from Alice Springs to Alexandra Headland, in just 23 days (with one rest day), which she said was her biggest challenge yet.
“The walk motivated me to challenge myself with the thought of also completing the crossing of Australia solo, and a bike is much quicker than walking,” she said.
The ride raised funds for QAS Legacy, supporting staff and their families who lost loved ones, after its charity event, Pedal for Paramedics, was postponed to 2024.
“As a paramedic we are constantly taking care of loved ones for other people in the community, and I wanted to give back to my colleagues who also need help during these difficult times,” she said.
She said her job was highly rewarding and she enjoyed meeting new people through her work, learning about their stories and working in challenging environments.
“Wearing my uniform affords me the privilege to be welcomed into someone else’s safe space during what is, most often, their most vulnerable time, in crisis, and I can help,” she said.
Ms Williams said she was surprised to be nominated for an Everyday Hero Award.
“I believe that this journey to being a finalist is thanks to so many amazing people around me, as our successes are often only possible due to the sacrifices that others make to help us,” she said.
Related story: ‘Made a difference’: police officer in running for award
The finalists will be reviewed by a panel of respected judges, and the winners will receive $2000 and an additional $2000 donated to a charity of their choice.
The 2023 Everyday Heroes Award winners will be recognised at the annual awards dinner at the W Hotel Brisbane on October 27.
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