With thanks to Grant Funding from Dry July (since 2017), has enabled the Eurobodalla Cancer Care Centre to design and deliver “Connections”, a wellness program for the region’s patients and their carers to assist manage the challenge cancer brings.
The Eurobodalla Cancer Care Centre (ECCC) treats around 180 people per month, along with their carers within the Eurobodalla Shire. The ECCS is serviced by two visiting Oncologists & Haematologists from Canberra, once per month. For our patients, access to complementary Allied Health services is via referral to external services.
The Dry July funded Connections program is the only support and education group available in the Eurobodalla Shire to support people affected by cancer. The ‘Connections’ program topics focus on health, wellbeing, coping tools & linkages to appropriate health and community services in and outside the region for people affected by cancer in the Eurobodalla. The Connections program also provides a forum in which patients can access accurate information from Allied Health professions without a referral to external services.
Feedback from participants in the Connections program includes;
- “the Connections program has made me feel validated, that I am not alone in this”
- “[the Connections program has] given me the opportunity to communicate better with my Specialists about how I am feeling”
- “[the Connections program has] taught me the tools I need to manage my stress, worry and sadness, so I can have more up-days”
- “being able to meet and talk to others from my local community, helped make going for treatment out of the area, easier, less confusing and less of a struggle”
