Solaris Cancer Care

Solaris Cancer Care is fortunate to have counsellors trained in the Holyoake DRUMBEAT program and with the aid of Dry July, we purchased African Djembe drums and introduced drumming circle workshops. No musical skills or experience are required by participants.

As well as providing a sense of community, these structured programs incorporate music, psychology and neurobiology to build resilience through rhythm.

Thanks to funds raised through Dry July 2019, Solaris Cancer Care have been providing comprehensive support to cancer patients during the COVID-19 crisis. Through their provision of online wellness programs and self-care services, Solaris have been running counselling delivered via Zoom, phone, or email to help manage stress, anxiety, depression, and social isolation given the current circumstances. Support Groups and Demonstrations via online classes have also been made available for cancer patients to access, to maintain optimal physical and mental wellbeing.

We're pleased to announce that Solaris Cancer Care has received an additional grant from the Dry July Foundation October grant round.

This grant will enable the purchase of garden furniture for the Dry July funded garden at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

Thanks to funds raised through Dry July in 2019, Solaris Cancer Care are able to funds the following projects: 

• Produce patient information booklets outlining the supportive services available at Solaris centres

• Deliver patient education seminars

• Provide ongoing exercise sessions and complementary therapies

• Implement an ongoing program of guided meditation through drumming

• Purchase oils, creams and other disposable items necessary to deliver massage and reflexology

• Provide ongoing counselling services.

All of these services will empower patients to make evidence-based choices to best meet their individual requirements for supportive care during their cancer journey. They will nurture both their physical and mental well-being in a safe and caring environment. By making these choices, seeking education and information, and engaging with professionals and like-minded others, our patients are actively contributing to their treatment and this delivers a sense of purpose, control, achievement and hope.

Solaris Cancer Care's aim is simply to make their patients feel better, by helping them to live the best quality of life they can through their cancer journey and beyond, and your very generous support allows us to do that.

Dry July ambassador for Solaris Cancer Care Centres, Mark Lane,  talks about his recent experience and how the wellness programs provided by Solaris Cancer Care gave some relief whilst undergoing cancer treatment. 

Following a head and neck cancer diagnosis in late 2017, Mark was undergoing treatment as an inpatient in hospital.

"The love and support from family and friends combined with full time care from my wife was clearly critical. However, it was the care from strangers that touched me in a powerful way, it was spiritually enlightening", Mark says.

"My first experience with Solaris was during a Chemo session. As lovely lady walked purposefully towards me, my initial thought was that she must have mistaken me for someone else – so genuine, so concerned, so caring to me, a total stranger - would you be interested in a Reiki session? Weirdly it was something I had been considering."

"That treatment gave me some respite for the next 24 hours and over the following months I became a regular visitor. Not only benefiting from the treatments, but that genuine care from total strangers was a highlight for me – I am truly grateful for that experience. I made a commitment in my mind during that time - that when I was able, I would repay these people, this place in some way."

"Whilst currently I am not out of the woods, I am back working, surfing and planning a new trip with my family to Japan. I am proud to say I have been active with Solaris offering my services and contacts to assist in fundraising activities."

"More recently I was humbled to be asked to act an Ambassador for Solaris for the next year. Something I am honored to undertake – it is my way of giving back to this wonderful Organisation."

"My hope is that through my efforts, more people suffering from the effects of cancer will continue to have access to the services as I did. Now that my luck and health has returned, I can use my influence and motivation to raise the much needed funds for this incredible free support service as well as promoting the exceptional role that the Solaris Cancer Care outlets perform in our Community."