The volunteers say it was not clear in June why they were dismissed, but they now believe it was because of the manner in which they spoke to a senior society staff-member in May.
The dismissal of the long-standing volunteers in June does not mean about 15 Wanaka cancer patients are completely without support, as the society's Queenstown support officer, who works part-time from home, can travel to Wanaka.
The dismissed volunteers are Jonette Hodge, Margaret Barrow, Barbara Bayliss, Alison Stretch and Michelle Rowe.
A sixth volunteer, Julie Mulholland, resigned in support.
In 2008, they won a commendation at the Queenstown Lakes District Council's community awards.
They have been supported by retired businessman John Wilson and retired lawyer and former Otago Southland Cancer Society board member Ted Lloyd in attempting, so far unsuccessfully, to negotiate a resolution and obtain a public apology from the society.
Deciding to talk to the media was a big deal for them, Mr Wilson said yesterday.
"They have tried every avenue possible before coming to this day."
The volunteers say during a meeting in May they raised questions about fundraising and the roles and resources - including cars - to be allocated to new, paid support workers in Queenstown and Central Otago.
Having raised significant amounts of money from the Wanaka community through the years, they felt it was fair to ask about the $210,000 raised at the Relay for Life event in Cromwell in the hope it would be channelled back to their area.
They felt they did not receive a satisfactory reply.
A month later, they received a letter from the society stating there had been an inability to resolve divergent views and their roles as registered support volunteers would be terminated.
In August, Mr Wilson received a letter from Otago-Southland division chief executive Wendy Houliston stating the society was exercising its right "to decline the services of people whose skills do not meet its current requirements".
The letter also noted volunteers were excluded from mediation processes prescribed for employment relationships.
Mr Wilson said, legally, the society's position regarding the dismissal of volunteers was correct, but he questioned the morality.
At a subsequent series of mediation meetings between the dismissed volunteers and senior society staff-members in September - which Mr Wilson attended - the volunteers learned it was not their skills that were at fault but their "manner" of speaking to the society staff-member and possibly some other staff-members.
If the meetings served any purpose at all, they highlighted the problem was a clash of personalities, the volunteers said.
But the volunteers were then embarrassed by continued advertisements of their services and personal contact details for at least three months after they had been dismissed.
Margaret Barrow, the host of monthly afternoon teas for patients, still had people coming to her door.
The volunteers felt humiliated explaining to patients they could not provide support because they had been dismissed.
In October, the volunteers met two society board representatives to request an apology and reinstatement, with a change in reporting relationships.
Mrs Houliston later responded by offering an apology in the Cancer Society's newsletter, The Link, but refused to reinstate the volunteers.
The form of the apology was rejected.
The volunteers said they had also been accused of not providing a patient contact list to the society, which they say is unfounded.
The volunteers used to cook meals for patients and families, drive them to appointments or provide emotional support.
Some have survived cancer themselves; others have had friends and family affected by the disease.
They were not paid an honorarium but occasionally claimed the costs for petrol or meals.
At the Relay for Life event at Cromwell earlier this year, one Wanaka volunteer's team raised $15,000 and the efforts of others raised several thousand dollars more.
Last year, they helped raise at least $15,000 on Daffodil Day - their services were not offered to or required by the society this year - and as another example, in 2007 Mrs Bayliss raised about $2470 at a luncheon.
"The Cancer Society won't get that now. We are moving on to something else. And it is very sad," Mrs Hodge said.
But they grieve for the patients left in the lurch.
"The patients have disappeared off the radar. They are still trying to contact us. They still need support," she said.
Mrs Houliston said yesterday when contacted the reasons for the dismissals were complex and she did not want to discuss them at this stage.
She wanted matters resolved and a proposal was sent to the volunteers before she went on leave, but she did not yet know if they had responded.
"If they are saying they are unhappy to the media, then that is their choice. But I haven't received [a response to the proposal] because I have been on leave, and I feel I can't comment because of that."
The Wanaka volunteers' significant contribution had been acknowledged throughout the negotiation process, she said.
Mrs Houliston said the society's accounts were audited, provided to the Charities Commission and published in The Link and in annual reports.
She was happy to respond to money questions and did not think a debate about expenditure was a pivotal matter in the dismissals.
Volunteers had been consulted about the changes to the support structure, which included changes in terms of accountability and reporting, she said.
It had been a major step for the society to place three paid support officers in Central Otago who worked from home and travelled, she said.
Volunteers had contributed tremendously to the Relay for Life, and proceeds went towards the paid support positions, including their cars and other resources, Mrs Houliston said.
