Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre

Our Wellness Team supports patients’ body, mind and soul alongside their medical treatment.

Thanks to you, Dry July fundraising has kept our Wellness gym open and provided additional psychological support to help people cope with the enormity of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Research has shown that exercising through cancer treatment not only helps maintain strength and energy levels, it also reduces the severity and number of side effects that are common with cancer treatment.

“Exercise has improved my energy levels, mood and given me a sense of purpose.” A wellness gym patient said.

"Your eight-week program has set me on a path to regular exercise and a healthier lifestyle. It also enabled me to stay fit during treatment, which I believe is a definite advantage." A wellness gym patient said.

Thanks to you these programs are open to every person undergoing cancer treatment. They not only improve the efficacy of cancer treatments but brightens patients’ days, reduces stress and habits learnt can be life changing.

On behalf of Austin Health and the ONJ Centre – thank you for changing the lives of every patient at the ONJ Centre.

Your fundraising for Dry July has enabled the ONJ Centre to support the continuation of our Exercise Wellness Program and our Clinical Psychology Service.

Every day we hear from patients who have participated in one of the programs, and their comments are always extremely positive.

Lori Crupi was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome in 2016. Lori’s Crupi’s world became one of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and weekly blood transfusions. Unfortunately, Lori’s treatment stopped being effective and she was left with one last option to save her life – a stem cell transplant.

A drastic treatment where all the bone marrow cells in her body had to be destroyed and replaced with healthy donor bone marrow cells, Lori needed to build up her fitness before she could qualify for this treatment.

“My body was tired and frail. By beginning a special exercise program l could take control over my physical strength. I could build it up to a point where l would be strong enough to have my life-saving stem cell transplant. My exercise program in the Wellness Gym was the turning point for me. It gave me new physical and mental strength, giving me and my family hope.

I felt less tired. I felt safe in the expert care of specialist oncology exercise physiologists. It became my happy place, a place where l could feel some control over my cancer and hope for my future. It opened up my last treatment option – a stem cell transplant” - Lori Crupi

Your impact is significant. Thank you.

Diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome in 2016, Lori Crupi’s treatments, unfortunately, stopped being effective and she was left with one last option to save her life - a stem cell transplant. A drastic treatment where all the bone marrow cells in her body had to be destroyed and replaced with healthy donor bone marrow cells, Lori needed to build up her fitness before she could qualify for this treatment.

“My body was tired and frail. By beginning a special exercise program, I could take control over my physical strength. I could build it up to a point where I would be strong enough to have my life-saving stem cell transplant. My exercise program in the Wellness Gym was the turning point for me. It gave me new physical and mental strength, giving me and my family hope. I felt less tired. I felt safe in the expert care of specialist oncology exercise physiologists. It became my happy place, a place where I could feel some control over my cancer and hope for my future. It opened up my last treatment option – a stem cell transplant.” - Lori Crupi

Penelope Sandersson, Divisional Manager Integrated Cancer Services, has seen first hand the impacts of the funds raised for Lori and so many other patients. "Funding from Dry July has made a big difference for the Wellness centre. Facilities like the on-site exercise gym literally changes people's lives and makes things that seem impossible, possible," Penny says.

Thank you for your support this July, we are so grateful!

Your fundraising for Dry July has enabled the ONJ Centre to support the continuation of our Exercise Wellness Program, Oncology Massage, music therapy, and our vital Cancer Information and Resource service.

Every day we hear from patients who have participated in one of the programs, and their comments are always extremely positive.

Lori Crupi was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome in 2016. Lori’s Crupi’s world became one of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and weekly blood transfusions. Unfortunately, Lori’s treatment stopped being effective and she was left with one last option to save her life – a stem cell transplant. A drastic treatment where all the bone marrow cells in her body had to be destroyed and replaced with healthy donor bone marrow cells, Lori needed to build up her fitness before she could qualify for this treatment.

“My body was tired and frail. By beginning a special exercise program l could take control over my physical strength. I could build it up to a point where l would be strong enough to have my life-saving stem cell transplant. My exercise program in the Wellness Gym was the turning point for me. It gave me new physical and mental strength, giving me and my family hope. I felt less tired. I felt safe in the expert care of specialist oncology exercise physiologists. It became my happy place, a place where l could feel some control over my cancer and hope for my future. It opened up my last treatment option – a stem cell transplant” - Lori Crupi

Running along a beach in Queensland with her sister, 42 year-old Meredith had to slow down because of the pain she was feeling from a lump in her breast. She had noticed the lump previously but hadn’t for a moment thought it might be breast cancer.

“There was no history of breast cancer in my family,” she says. “I had a scan in Queensland and it suggested I have more follow up tests when I got back to Melbourne, where I was diagnosed with a very aggressive type of breast cancer.”

A recent separation meant she was facing diagnosis and treatment as a single mother. Treatment was immediate and urgent, with surgery to remove the tumor followed by a course of chemotherapy four weeks later once Meredith had recovered from the surgery. Radiotherapy followed.

Meredith believes the ONJ Cancer Centre wellness programs, mainly art therapy helped her to understand and come to terms with her harrowing experience.

“The impact for me has been amazing. I was able to use it as a way to meditate, to clear my mind of the thoughts running around about the cancer coming back and where do I go from here. It was good to put my emotions into something other than words.”

Being susceptible to depression, Meredith believed art therapy also helped her keep her mental health in a positive state during her diagnosis and treatment,

“Art therapy gave me a chance to do something for myself – not for the kids, nor because a doctor told me to, but for me,” says Meredith. “It allowed me to talk about my experience, to process it and to reflect on what was the longest six months of my life.”

Art therapy is only made possible by our incredible Dry July’ers! We are deeply grateful for the difference you make to patients and their families.