“It’s always been a part of me,”
says Paula. “I think you’re born
with it.”
Paula says her role as Detective
Danni Francis in
Cop Shop
was the highlight of her acting
career; she describes it as a time
§lled with a lot of love, both on
and o set. But Paula’s work
with Focus On Ability Short
Film Festival is her true “pride
and joy”.
The desire to help intellectually
disabled Australians sparked
when Paula realised she could
give a voice to those who
needed it most.
“I didn’t want to get on the
bandwagon of working with
a charity that was necessarily
sexy. Working with people with
an intellectual disability means
someone has to have a voice and
I felt that I had a voice that could
represent their interests.”
Since she began volunteering in
1989, Paula has dedicated her
time to partnering with a wide
range of charities, foundations
and organisations to help those
with Asperger syndrome,
autism, Crohn’s disease, colitis
and mental health issues.
Not only does she help
to organise, run and host
events, Paula has also raised
an incredible $11.9 million in
donations over the years.
Paula is passionate about raising
awareness of these issues and
Heart so big
It was obvious from a young age
that Paula Duncan was made for
the spotlight. While everyone
else at school was interested in
sports days, Paula was busy with
eisteddfods and school plays.
When asked about her theatrical
interests, Paula, now 63, laughs
and says it’s the family trade.
With a piano-loving mum,
actress Carmen Duncan as
a sister and
Caravan
writer
Donald MacDonald as a cousin,
a career in the entertainment
industry was almost inevitable.
AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION STAR PAULA DUNCAN TALKS ABOUT HER TWO
GREAT PASSIONS: ACTING AND HELPING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.
says her current role as the face
and voice of hair loss treatment
and prevention brand Evolis is
a great way to do this.
Very open about her personal
journey with depression, Paula
says those struggling with
depression are vulnerable to
hair loss.
“Evolis helped me when I was
depressed. I had an accident and
couldn’t walk for 28 weeks. I was
stuck in hospital and I lost my
hair because of the amount of
drugs I was on. Evolis seriously
restored my hair growth.”
Along with Evolis, Paula admits
volunteering was a lifeline when
it came to beating depression.
“Volunteering is possibly the
most wonderful thing people
dealing with depression or
mental illness can do.
“The minute you feel that bad,
the §rst thing I tell people to
do – before anything else – is
to do something for somebody
else. And you wonder why that
works? Well, it works because
it restores our self-worth.”
Paula’s kind heart is obvious;
you can see just how much she
values her connection with
the community.
“Some people collect dolls
and toys,” says Paula. “I collect
people. People come to stay
overnight and they don’t
go home.”
BEING CONNECTED
11
Image courtesy of www.evolisproducts.com.au
