A BOONAH widow has turned the loss of her husband into a lasting legacy for rural health, donating $100,000 to help local nurses develop the skills needed to care for their community.
Susan Soltys established the Robert Soltys Rural Nurses Fund in memory of her late husband Robert “Bob” Soltys, after the care he received at Boonah Hospital during the final weeks of his decade-long battle with prostate cancer.
Just six months after its establishment, the fund has already provided almost $20,000 in grants to 14 Boonah Hospital nurses, supporting training in areas ranging from maternity and paediatric emergencies to X-ray operation.
For Mrs Soltys, the fund was born from gratitude for something that was never guaranteed – being able to have her husband cared for just five minutes from home.
During Bob’s final weeks, there was a possibility he would need to be transferred to Ipswich because of limited beds and staffing at the smaller rural hospital.
Instead, he was able to remain in Boonah for three weeks, allowing his wife to visit twice a day.
“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.”
Mrs Soltys approached the West Moreton Health Foundation in late 2025 and, by January this year, the Robert Soltys Rural Nurses Fund had been established.
Her initial $100,000 donation has since attracted another $30,000 from family, friends and supporters – and Mrs Soltys has pledged to match every additional dollar raised beyond her original contribution.
Boonah Hospital Director of Nursing Amanda Banks said the grants would complement existing West Moreton Health training and build the capabilities of the hospital’s 60 nurses.
“These scholarships have made nurses feel invested in and that ripples out into the community,” Mrs Banks said.
“As a result, the Boonah community will have nurses skilled in critical areas like maternity emergencies, paediatric emergency care, and X-ray operation.”
West Moreton Health Foundation CEO Scott Young said Mrs Soltys had transformed personal loss into an important investment in rural healthcare.
“Rural nurses play a crucial role in their communities and often take on a wider variety of responsibilities than their city counterparts,” Mr Young said.
Donations to the Robert Soltys Rural Nurses Fund can be made through the West Moreton Health Foundation.
