Selfless Longstanding dedication In Promoting Health Education amongst Multicultural Communities  

On 23 August 2022, the Ceremony to present the North Western Sydney Region Volunteer of the Year Award was held at Castle Hill RSL Club. Prof Stephen Li was the winner of both the “Adult Volunteer of the Year” and “Overall Regional Volunteer of the Year” Awards.

Prof Li devotes himself as a community health educator promoting public health and supporting healthier lives style amongst the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities for the past two decades. He has been educating and providing health advice to CALD communities and producing better health outcomes for people of Chinese, Arabic, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Korean and Eastern European backgrounds. He has been attending various seminars and briefing sessions provided by the Government, professional organisations, expert virologists, and epidemiologists on a regular basis voluntarily to gather information enabling him to educate the community. CASS nominated him for the Award and is glad that his contributions and dedications have been highly recognised.

During the pandemic, Prof Li was recruited by the NSW Health Pathology as the endorsed COVID-19 educator for the Chinese Australian community. He presented many face-to-face seminars and online programs relating to COVID-19, so that people in the multicultural community, especially the seniors are well informed of details about COVID-19, updated government policies, vaccines and relevant health information.   

Prof Li is a renowned pathologist, Director of Core Pathology and Clinical Chemistry of NSW Health Pathology West Sector and Associate Professor at the Western Sydney University. He also subspecialises in clinical lipidology and takes the role as the Director of Westmead Hospital Lipid Clinic. He is keen to promote the impact of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia on health.  

As Prof Li was overseas attending a conference, Mr Ivan Wong, CASS General Manager of Home Ageing Services, accepted the awards on his behalf at the ceremony.

The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards have grown to become one of the country’s largest celebrations of volunteering. Prof Li will enter the competition for the NSW Volunteer of the Year Award later this year.

Congratulations to Prof Li and all other award winners! They are role models and inspirations to us!