Chris O'Brien Lifehouse

Thanks to funds raised through Dry July 2019, the Dry July Foundation is able to fund an incredible amount of projects at the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse:

• Build a small garden outside gym window. Currently the exercise equipment face a glass window which has a metal fence in front. There's space enough to build a small garden so patient will have a nicer view to help with their exercise recovery.

• Speech Pathology Tools to relieve anxiety in tracheotomy patients. The tracheostomy model can demo how the procedures are performed

• New Yoga Equipment for patient yoga class. Exercise during and after treatment makes a huge difference to patients recovery; yoga in particular, as it's relatively low impact can help patients during recovery but also ease anxiety and stress during treatment.

• Connect Pods for Clinics: 6 workspace 'pods' including computers connected to the internet so that patients can work/ stay connected whilst in hospital

• Bladder scanner, used for gynae patients in recovery from surgery to check that the bladder is working normally - it detects any problems that might have been caused by the surgery and enables the nurses and doctors to address them, ensuring the patient is not in pain or discomfort.

• Commodes and shower chairs for patient rooms and visitor chairs for Level 9 south

• Maintenance of Patient Transport: Keeping the Transport to Treatment service going, to help patients get to can from treatment and appointments

• Physiotherapist Rehab Equipment To will help with general fitness and wellbeing as well as improving recovery time. Items include Fortress mobile posture mirror, Fortress Rolling platform step and ankle weights

• Charging Stations for Waiting Rooms, to help keep patients devices fully charged so they can stay connected with family and friends during treatment

• Continued Complementary Inpatient Program: Ongoing Massage/reflexology program for patients or carers

• Ongoing funding for Arterie Carterie Art Therapy Program

• Lymphoedema Management Program: Lymphoedema drainage massage, laser therapy, exercise and acupuncture services for patients with Lymphoedema

With funds from our Dry July campaign we were able to launch at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse a specialised meal ordering through patient bedside terminals, using Chef Max – a food service management system.

This allows patients individualised menus to meet both clinical and dietary requirements, with an easy to use terminal at their bedside to order meals appropriate for their needs. Our Diet Aides place orders on behalf of those that are unable to do so. It has made an incredible difference to our patients and their recovery.  

Chris O'Brien Lifehouse received an amazing $137,500 in funding from the Dry July Foundation to continue it's complimentary therapy program, 'Arterie Carterie'. Arterie is an innovative inter-disciplinary model of art in healthcare practice, specifically designed to improve outcomes for Chris O’Brien Lifehouse patients, families, carers and staff by easing the side effects of cancer and its treatment such as stress, pain, fatigue, isolation and depression. Arterie participates in a way that fits with the patient’s treatment – it is non-invasive, inclusive and supportive.

Additional funds also enabled the purchase of specialist chairs for the intensive care unit and wards, extend the Complimentary Therapy Inpatient Program that will provide 500 massage and relexology sessions, and landscape the outdoor gardens to provide beautiful healing spaces to aid patients’ recovery.

Nurse Unit Manager Lindley Randle from Chris O'Brien Lifehouse's Day Therapy Unit was delighted to be able to purchase a Paxman Scalp Cooling Unit designed to reduce and prevent hair loss during selected chemotherapy treatments. This was made possible through Dry July funding.

For patients who meet the requirements to use the machine and who are distressed by the idea of losing their hair (and ‘looking like someone with cancer’), scalp cooling provides an opportunity to maintain the majority of their hair and to reduce the emotional and psychosocial burden of treatment. 

Chris O'Brien Lifehouse used Dry July funding towards a Lymphoedema Management Program in the Living Room. 

This is a coordinated 6-12 week individual treatment program. Treatments may include Lymphoedema drainage massage, laser therapy, exercise and acupuncture services for patients with Lymphoedema, a condition which reduces quality of life.

“We are so thankful to Dry July for providing funding for the LivingRoom Lymphoedema service. This funding has allowed us to offer essential services to those patients in need”.

- Jessica Kyneur and Sandra Templeton (Lymphoedema Therapists)