Beneficiary

Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre

134 Supporters

Raised

$55,348.59

Target

$100,000

55.348589999999994%

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Avatar Name Raised
21
$668
22
Roxanne Addley
4th Year
$666
23
Ethan Wallison
2nd Year
$640
24
$604
25
Nick Mossuto
2nd Year
$599
26
$596
27
$531
28
Margaret Milner
11th Year
$530
29
$507
30
$500

Fundraising For

Funds raised this Dry July will help to fund wellness therapies to help people with cancer thrive

About Us

The Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre is a leading cancer centre that is committed to providing exceptional medical treatment, along with evidence-based wellness and supportive care programs.

Continuing Olivia’s legacy, our goal is to support every person with cancer to have access to wellness programs which treat the mind, body and spirit, by fundraising for Dry July, you are helping to ensure the continuation of wellness and supportive care programs at the ONJ Centre, which are not government funded.

These programs are designed to provide cancer patients with the support, information, and strategies they need throughout their cancer experience. Our programs include oncology massage, art and music therapy, psychology, specialised exercise, individual nursing consultations and information and supportive group programs. Over 11,000 consultations have been provided to our cancer patients in 2023.

Wellness is different for everyone, and no two cancer experiences are the same, which means personalised wellness plans enable patients to feel empowered by having information and choice in decision making at a time when they feel uncertain and lack control in their lives.

Going Dry this July will help ensure patients continue to receive ongoing, essential support from the specialised wellness practitioners so that they thrive through their cancer experience.

Latest Updates


Dry July Foundation helps cancer patients at Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre

Thanks to funds raised through Dry July 2019, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre have been able to fund the following projects:

• Exercise Physiologists at the ONJ Centre Wellness Gym, allowing the gym to increase hours to meet demand (currently 41 patients on wait list)

• Cancer Information and Resource Service

• Continued funding for the Oncology Massage Program

Special services like oncology massage make a life changing difference to people with cancer, like Beverley. “I get to the point where my neck feels like it’s wrapped up with barbed wire. Oncology massage is a life-saver for me and incredibly beneficial to my quality of life” – Beverley Douglas, patient.

Suan from the Wellness Centre sees the enormous impact wellness programs have on patients and families, and is filled with gratitude for our amazing Dry July supporters. “Every day I see how patients and families are supported by our wellness programs,” says Suan. “Dry July’ers really are making a life-changing difference for patients, families and carers.”


Finding confidence again through gentle yoga

Cancer diagnosis and treatment is one of the most stressful experiences in patients’ lives and presents challenges for them both physically and emotionally. Thanks to funding from Dry July, a six-week Gentle Yoga program is helping patients regain physical and emotional confidence.

“Yoga enables me to feel better physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually,” says Jackie Edsall, diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2018. “I find yoga provides very necessary soul food for me.”

Melissa Shand is a Gentle Yoga instructor at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre (ONJ Centre) and says yoga can be instrumental in helping patients manage the stress of cancer treatment.

“There is growing evidence of the benefits a regular yoga practice can have on people who have a diagnosis of cancer,” she says. “The people who attend yoga at the ONJ Centre have often not participated in any physical activity for some time and are unsure of their physical ability to participate. I have watched participants of the program grow in confidence in their ability to move their bodies and participate in a yoga class over the course of the program.”

Many patients find they struggle with an often onerous treatment regime, and yoga gives them the space to manage stress and anxiety.

“One patient found that since starting the yoga course, she was able to reduce pain medication and control her anxiety with mindfulness and breathing,” says Melissa. “She expressed that she got even more out of the program than she expected.”

“Without the funds provided by Dry July to run this program, these participants would miss the opportunity to re-engage with their bodies, their breath and their emotions, building their confidence to re-discover these types of activities within their local community,” says Melissa.

For Jackie, the benefits of yoga have been surprising and necessary in helping her re-gain confidence and strength.

“The nurturing and strength the Gentle Yoga program has provided me can’t be overstated and if supporting this program means going Dry in July, it’s a worthwhile price to pay!”

Gentle Yoga at the ONJ Centre exists because of support from Dry July and the wonderful supporters who go ‘dry in July’ to raise funds for these vital programs. We are deeply grateful for the difference you make to patients and their families. 

Support Dry July at the ONJ Centre by signing up or donating today .

Pictured: Gentle yoga teacher Melissa Shand and participant Jackie Edsall & Gentle Yoga class at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre


Leaving a musical legacy

Dry July funding for the Music Recording Studio at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre (ONJ Centre) is giving patients an opportunity to express their feelings as they go through cancer diagnosis, treatment, and for some, end-of-life care.

Listening to and making music is one of the few activities that activates the whole brain, including regions related to emotion, movement and memories. Engaging in music therapy can help to reduce pain, anxiety and depression in patients with cancer and it can have a significant positive impact on their quality of life.

Kate McMahon is a Music Therapist at the ONJ Centre, helping facilitate music therapy for patients and families during treatment or during their hospital stay.

“I’ve seen music therapy help patients express difficult emotions and to find meaning, comfort and joy in the present moment,” she says. “It helps support families to connect and reminisce in difficult times and I’ve seen it bring people together in laughter and tears.”

Here at the ONJ Centre, song-writing is a powerful tool used to help patients express their thoughts and feelings about their cancer journey. For patients in end-of-life care, this gives them an opportunity to send a message of love to families and to create a legacy to be remembered by.

“Thanks to Dry July, our patients have the opportunity to use our custom-built recording studio to bring these songs to life,” says Kate. “For many patients, this is the first time they’ve attempted to write or record a song, and they’re often pleasantly surprised at their own abilities. In the recording studio, patients have the chance to sing, play instruments and contribute to the arrangement of their song. This unique experience gives patients the chance to be in control of their own legacy and achieve a sense of pride and accomplishment. The end result is a meaningful and personal work of art, and something to leave behind for loved ones.”

Every day, Kate sees patients and families express joy and gratitude for the opportunity to access music therapy.

“I’ve had patients tell me that music therapy is the thing that helped them get through their hospital stay,” she says. “Some patients tell me it’s been deeply meaningful. Family members often come up to thank me after a session, sharing that the session was really special and helpful.”

Kate says that for so many patients at the ONJ Centre, having access to programs like music therapy during treatment can make all the difference.

“Having programs like music therapy ensures our patients aren’t just cared for physically, they’re cared for emotionally, socially and even spiritually. This whole-person approach means our patients can feel truly cared for by our whole team and have a more positive hospital experience overall.”

Music therapy at the ONJ Centre exists because of support from Dry July and the wonderful supporters who go ‘dry in July’ to raise funds for these vital programs. We are deeply grateful for the difference you make to patients and their families.


Gentle touch helps ease suffering

Oncology massage is a very gentle and highly specialised therapy which is available to all patients at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, thanks to ongoing support from Dry July.

“She’s the only one who can give me relief,” says patient Bev Douglas. Bev is talking about the specialist oncology massage she receives at the Wellness Centre from oncology massage therapist Bronwyn Hogan.

After being diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2017, Bev underwent multiple and extensive surgeries on her mouth and jaw, landing her in the intensive care unit for ten days and a further five-week stay in hospital. Radiation therapy followed. Bev now lives with chronic pain in her shoulders, neck and head.

“I get to the point where my neck feels like it’s wrapped up with barbed wire,” says Bev. “Bronwyn knows exactly what to do, she has amazing hands and such a gentle touch. It’s a life-saver for me and incredibly beneficial to my quality of life.”

Bronwyn Hogan, highly trained in the specialised skill of oncology massage, describes her observations of Bev, ongoing from when she first met her.

“Bev’s pain can be so severe it impacts her ability to swallow food, it causes headaches and restricts her head and shoulder range of motion,” says Bronwyn. “The result is that Bev cannot enjoy or undertake many aspects of life that she previously considered essential to her wellbeing and quality of life.”

Bev is adamant that her recovery and wellbeing are greatly aided by regular gentle and specialised oncology massage and there are times when she is completely pain-free in her neck and shoulders.

“The massage takes away all the pain up the back of my head and I am able to be virtually pain-free for the next two or three days afterwards,” she says. “I’ve also had lymphodema (swelling in an arm or leg usually caused by lymph node removal or damage due to cancer treatment) and Bronwyn has been able to help clear some of this and she has also shown me how I can massage the area myself for relief.”

Bronwyn is deeply grateful to Dry July for their support.

“This very special funding from Dry July enables patients like Bev and others with varying degrees of physical, mental and emotional suffering, to find their way back to a better quality of life via a massage-supported recovery.”

Oncology massage at the ONJ Centre exists because of support from Dry July and the wonderful supporters who go ‘dry in July’ to raise funds for these vital programs. We are deeply grateful for the difference you make to patients and their families.


Going dry is a small price to pay

After his mum Jan was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in her spine in June last year, Ben Charles committed himself to joining up for Dry July, a fundraiser that encourages people to go alcohol-free in July to improve the comfort and wellbeing of people affected by cancer.

 “I had just found out my mother had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in her spine, I was kind of in a daze…not knowing what the future may hold,” says Ben. “Up late one night, I saw the Dry July TV commercial…it really grabbed me and I signed up straight away.”

Ben says Jan’s cancer diagnosis put a lot of things into perspective for him and trivial things, like alcohol, became insignificant.

“I realised by doing Dry July I had the ability to help people like Mum through the efforts of missing a few beers. Such a small price to pay when I think of my children missing out on sharing moments with their nanna. If the extended care and comfort helps extend the quality of life of a loved one then missing out on a few beers is a tiny price to pay.”

Ben raised over $1,000 which is helping ensure the survival of wellness and supportive care at the ONJ Cancer Centre. These programs, like oncology massage, gentle yoga, art and creativity groups and specialist exercise programs, help patients manage the stress and anxiety that comes with cancer diagnosis and treatment, and rely on community support for their survival.

After undergoing extensive surgery to her spine, Jan, a primary school teacher, has gone back to work part-time and is currently working 20 hours per week.

“She refuses to let the news bring her enthusiasm for life down,” says Ben. “But it is comforting to know that wonderful places like the ONJ Centre exist and are available for us when we need them.”

“The quality of life and the time we spend with loved ones is what we are trying to extend. The ONJ Centre helps that process to be easier regardless of condition or prognosis.”

Surprisingly, Ben also found that spreading the word about his Dry July fundraising page resulted in many messages of hope and support from his extended network.

“By far the most rewarding part was the extended well-wishes and donations, and that this challenging news in our lives had gone to some good.”

Ben can’t wait to take on Dry July again this year.

“It’s another opportunity to do some good, update everybody with Mum’s progress, light off the beers and raise some money!”

The ONJ Centre receives funds raised directly for the Centre by fundraisers (last year $70,000 was raised by our wonderful community), and we also receive grant funding from the Dry July Foundation. Since 2014, Dry July has been a strong supporter of the ONJ Centre providing over $600,000 in grants for wellness and supportive care programs.

You can make a donation to Ben's fundraising page by clicking HERE