Husband and wife Pauline Baxter and Tony Touzeau were so grateful for the care they received at Cabrini following their heart attacks, that when it came to giving back it was simple.

Mrs Baxter was so thankful, she has left money in her Will to establish the Touzeau Baxter Scholarship for nurses with an interest in the care of acutely ill patients with cardiac disease, in memory of her late husband.

“Cabrini saved both our lives and gave us another six wonderful years together,” she said.

This year, during Include a Charity Week, Cabrini is encouraging people to think about making a donation that could shape the future of healthcare.

A gift to Cabrini in your Will can ensure others have access to the latest equipment and the highest level of care for years to come, or support world-leading research to help diagnose, treat and cure cancer.

Mrs Baxter said it was her passion for education and her connection to Cabrini that led her to leave a gift in her Will.

“Both my husband and I had to do our education the hard way – we both came from poor families. So we both valued education,” Mrs Baxter said.

“Since we don’t have any family to pass in on to, I decided that two scholarships should be offered – one here at Cabrini and one at Melbourne University – in my Will.”

Mrs Baxter said she hoped her bequest would help give nursing students some extra assistance to get through their studies and to eventually care for patients like herself and her late husband.

“Tony had been treated at Cabrini so many times with heart conditions, and so had I, and the care and support we received was second to none. I think it’s the excellence of the medical staff as well as the nursing staff that always stood out for us.

“It is not only ensuring my values live on, it’s helping other people achieve their goals and I think that’s important,” she said.

Mrs Baxter said she hoped the nursing scholarships would make study more accessible.

“It makes me feel much happier knowing that anything I bequest in my Will goes to something useful, to benefit somebody else’s life. And ultimately, because they’re educational scholarships, the nurses who receive the scholarships can help other people through what they have learnt. I firmly believe that if you can help someone else along the way, do it.

“There’s nothing to be gained and nobody learns anything otherwise. If you can change people’s lives, why not? Particularly when you’ve done it the hard way.

“If I can leave something to somebody who can benefit from it, I’m delighted. The education I received was invaluable and I want to ensure someone else has the same opportunities.”

If you would like to know more about the difference you can make by leaving a gift in your Will to Cabrini, call Natalie Sikora on (03) 9508 1380 or visit www.cabrinifoundation.com.au/giftsinwills