Cancer Council

For Grant and his wife Branka, our 13 11 20 support services were instrumental in helping them through a double cancer diagnosis.

The parents of two daughters had only been in Australia for a few years after moving from overseas and had no family around and little support when they received the devastating news.

“I was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer on Friday 15 February 2013. Just three days earlier, on the Tuesday, my wife Branka was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. We really relied on Cancer Council for support.”

Grant had begun radiation and chemotherapy straight away and someone had suggested he call us on 13 11 20.

“At this point, I was still feeling pretty lost and confused, I was shell-shocked and just wanted to know what was going to happen.

"Doctors have a habit of being informal and a little distant – they have to, they can’t make promised or give you false hope. I just wanted to speak to someone who is human.”

By signing up to Dry July, you’ll be helping people like Grant and Branka who need the support of our compassionate and experienced cancer nurses through our 13 11 20 service.

Our nurses can talk through questions about treatment, provide information on different cancer types and link people to other support services like counselling, free wigs and financial assistance.

“The last time I used 13 11 20 was about seven months after I finished treatment. Someone had told me that it was common, once you start recovering, to experience unbelievable anger about why this had all happened to me," says Grant.

"When I was experiencing this, I called the number again and they organised, when I was ready, a couple of counselling sessions for me. It was fantastic."

Help people like Grant and Branka get support during diagnosis, treatment and beyond.

By signing up to Dry July, you’ll be helping people like Grant and Branka who need the support of our compassionate and experienced cancer nurses through our 13 11 20 service. Sign up today. 

We're pleased to announce that all Cancer Council States and territories have received an additional grant from the Dry July Foundation October grant round.

Thanks to the grants, the following projects will be funded:

Cancer Council NSW

• Refurbishment of 5 Cancer Council Information Services (CCIS). These are located without hospitals and treatment centres, and provide cancer patients, carers, their friends, and families with access to free, evidence-based information and support.

• Survivorship Webinars for Cancer Survivors, Carers, and their Families: Cancer Council NSW webinars provide evidence-based information and support to cancer patients, carers, and their families. The webinars are easily accessible and available across a variety of physical, online, digital, and social media channels

Cancer Council Victoria

• The Living with Cancer Education Program (LWCEP): an exercise and education program for cancer patients undergoing treatment

Cancer Council ACT

• Design and publication of all cancer information booklets for one year. These Cancer Information Booklets provide information about specific cancers, diagnosis, treatment, side effects of treatment, life after cancer, and more

Cancer Council Queensland

• 13 11 20 Information and Support Line: The 13 11 20 Cancer Information and Support Line is our primary connection with the community, providing a comprehensive service that is free and confidential to support cancer patients, as well as family members, carers or friends that are impacted by a cancer diagnosis

Cancer Council Western Australia

• 13 11 20 Information and Support Line: The 13 11 20 Cancer Information and Support Line is our primary connection with the community, providing a comprehensive service that is free and confidential to support cancer patients, as well as family members, carers or friends that are impacted by a cancer diagnosis

Cancer Council Tasmania

• 13 11 20 Information and Support Line: The 13 11 20 Cancer Information and Support Line is our primary connection with the community, providing a comprehensive service that is free and confidential to support cancer patients, as well as family members, carers or friends that are impacted by a cancer diagnosis

Cancer Council SA

• 13 11 20 Information and Support Line: The 13 11 20 Cancer Information and Support Line is our primary connection with the community, providing a comprehensive service that is free and confidential to support cancer patients, as well as family members, carers or friends that are impacted by a cancer diagnosis

Cancer Council Northern Territory

• Life Now - Beyond Cancer: the Northern Territory’s first cancer survivorship program.

Workshops facilitated by trained professionals will provide information and practical support as well as the opportunity to discuss things such as emotional changes, returning to work & how to build a healthier lifestyle. There will also be practical sessions such as exercise and or yoga and nutritional information

Thanks to funds raised through Dry July 2019, the Dry July Foundation is proud to be funding Cancer Council's vital 13 11 20 Information and Support Line. 

About Cancer Council 13 11 20 Information and Support Line 

We know that coping with cancer is challenging, which is why we deliver a comprehensive range of support services for all people, affected by all cancers, across every state and territory. 

In 2018, we helped thousands of Australians get the support they need by answering over 41,000 calls through our 13 11 20 Information and Support Line.

Our 13 11 20 Information and Support Line is a confidential service, run by Cancer Councils in each state and territory, where you can speak to a specialist cancer professional about anything to do with cancer, including:

• Emotional support if you or someone you care about has cancer

• How to reduce your cancer risk

• Questions about early detection

• Dealing with a cancer diagnosis

• How to cope with treatment and its side effects

• Practical support that is available to anyone affected by cancer

• End of life issues.

Anyone can contact 13 11 20 – from cancer patients and people living with cancer to their families, carers and friends, social workers, healthcare professionals and the general public.  

In the last financial year, our 13 11 20 cancer specialists answered more than 41,000 calls nationally. The service was pivotal in connecting cancer patients to our support services including transport to treatment, legal and financial assistance, our free wig service and various support groups.

We rely on community donations to fund our vital 13 11 20 service for the community.

In the last year, across Australia :

* There were 41,000 connections via phone, email, online or in person.

* More than 71% of all connections involved cancer patients and their family / friends

* There were 29,461 connections (with cancer patients and their family / friends) for 131,452 persons diagnosed with cancer in Australia.

* More than 38% of connections with cancer patients and their family / friends were made at the point of first diagnosis.

* More than 24% of connections came from repeat users of the service.

There are a number of reasons patients have difficulty attending appointments with doctors, for procedures or treatment including:

-inability to use public transport due to weakened immune system

- not holding a drivers licence

- unable to drive due to treatment or medication side effects

- limited family or social support networks

- unable to access public or community transport

- financial hardship that prohibits the use of public transport or taxis.

Thanks to funds received from Dry July Foundation in 2018, a transport to Treatment  vehicle has been purchased to help these patients. Knowing they have a reliable service to get them to and from treatment will certainly make a difficult time, a little easier for those affected by cancer.