Vanessa Olympia Schafranek, the daughter of a Greek migrant mother, has been awarded the Ambulance Service Medal (ASM) in the King's Birthday Honours, recognising more than 23 years of dedicated pre-hospital care to the Queensland community
"I was very shocked to start with, but very proud and very humbled," she told SBS Greek.
Her mother, Kyriakoula Vervitas, known to most as Korina, was born in Kakotari, a mountainous village in Ilia in the Peloponnese, near Mount Erymanthos and part of the Municipality of Ancient Olympia.
She migrated to Australia at 19, where she met Vanessa's Austrian father, Bruno Schafranek, who passed away more than 20 years ago.
Growing up in Sydney, Greek culture was ever-present: church at Easter, Greek dances, and lamb on the spit at her uncle's home. "Greek Easter is probably my fondest memory as a kid," she says.
In May 2027, she will travel to Greece with her sister and family, and hopes her 84-year-old mother will join them.
Her message to the community: "Be proud of your culture. Be proud of who you are."
Vanessa serves as Officer in Charge of the Tully Ambulance Station. She has played a key role in disaster response and recovery across five major tropical cyclones, from Larry (2006) to Jasper (2023).
Over two decades, Ms Schafranek has played a key role in disaster preparation, response and recovery across five major tropical cyclones: Larry (2006), Yasi (2011), Ita (2014), Debbie (2017) and, most recently, Jasper (2023).
Cyclone Yasi tested her most, damaging her home, which took nine months to restore, while she continued to serve her community.
