Uncle Willian “Bucket” Button is an Aboriginal Elder from Cherbourg and Maintenance Officer with Cherbourg Regional Aboriginal and Islander Community Controlled Health Services (CRAICCHS). 

The community of Cherbourg means the world to Uncle Bucket and that’s why he has been telling anyone who will listen about his experiences in getting vaccinated to protect himself against COVID-19. 

Uncle Bucket said he has spoken to CRAICCHS clients, his family, and community members about his experience getting the vaccine. 

“I’m from a big family and I’ve been telling all my family to get it done and the majority have got it done,” Uncle Bucket said. 

“I got my sister-in-law to get it done; she was dead against it,” he said. 

“She was scared but now she’s seen other people do it. 

“And she likes her outings.  

“I said, ‘it’s going to restrict you when you go to Brisbane.’ So she got it done.  

“She’s happy about it now. She was scared of being sick but she didn’t get sick and she’s in her 60s now.” 

The jab has given him peace of mind because he knows that now, even though he might still contract COVID-19, it’s highly unlikely to make him seriously ill or die from the virus. 

Uncle Button said that because Queensland had been largely spared from the COVID-19 pandemic, some mob think it’s not a threat. 

“I reckon mob need to see some scary stories from where it’s actually happening,” he said. 

“Some of the people I talk to, they think it’s not happening because they haven’t seen it yet.  

“They think it’s a hoax some people.  

“Because they haven’t seen it firsthand, they’re not really worried about it.” 

When Uncle Button yarns with mob about getting vaccinated for COVID-19, he has a blunt message for those taking a ‘wait and see’ approach. 

“Get it done. 

“Because if it comes into our community here, I mean, the sick and the elderly – it’s really going to affect them.  

“Once the borders are open, I think it’s just going to hit Cherbourg because our people are transient from Brisbane a lot.  

“And just to cover yourself too.  

“It’ll open opportunities for you to go to venues and stuff like that because they’re going to restrict people soon if you’re not vaccinated.” 

For more information or to book an appointment contact CRAICCHS.