The Wesley Hospital Choices Cancer Support Centre

We're pleased to announce that Wesley Hospital Choices Cancer Support Centre has received an additional grant from the Dry July Foundation October grant round.

This grant will enable the funding of a Men and Women's Choices Gym Maintenance Program.

For people completing cancer treatments, research demonstrates that maintaining an exercise program is essential to mitigate late and long term side effects of cancer and cancer treatment  

Thanks to funds raised through Dry July 2019, The Wesley Hospital Choices Cancer Support Centre will be able to fund a Women's and Men's intra and post treatment exercise program.

For people undergoing chemotherapy and other cancer treatments, research demonstrates that a tailored and accessible gym program, supervised by oncology exercise physiologists, has multiple benefits, including:

• Better treatment outcomes

• Reduction of recurrence risk

• Reduction of risks of other chronic diseases

• Reduction of fatigue

Combining an exercise program with appropriate education sessions provides patients with additional support to manage lifestyle changes resulting from treatment, including:

• Managing early, late and long term side effects of treatment

• Managing nutrition

• Managing exercise

• Peer support

Sue Bohler was diagnosed with lung cancer in late 2018 and immediately commenced treatment at The Wesley Hospital.

At the time Sue’s doctor also recommended she seek out the expertise of The Wesley Hospital Choices Cancer Support Centre.

The Choices team, as they are known, are a free service that have helped throughout Sue’s treatment to make sure she had all the resources to look after her wellness. Sue says it was one of the best decisions she’s made.

“Choices not only gave me the tools to help me look after my health throughout my treatment, but they were an important part of me being able to take control of my diagnosis”

“I was able to attend Choices for their Women’s Wellness Program to support with nutrition, and exercise. I knew that at those sessions I was in a positive environment, it was always a safe haven for me.”

Sue underwent 25 rounds of radiation and six rounds of chemotherapy as part of her treatment plan and is now on 12 months of immunotherapy at The Wesley.

After the initial diagnosis left her shell-shocked and unsure of the path ahead, the emotional support and resources provided by Choices have helped her deal with an overwhelming diagnosis of cancer.

While her treatment has been difficult, the safe space of Choices has allowed her to continue to exercising through yoga and equipped her with the resources to help her husband and daughter better understand about her cancer.

“There is a significant stigma around lung cancer. I have always been active and healthy person so it can be a difficult time to understand what is going on,” she said

“For my family to know that I can come to Choices to talk about my diagnosis and seek some support, it is invaluable and gives me peace of mind.”

The wonderful team at Choices are an incredible wealth of knowledge and will be celebrating 21 years of the Choices program in 2019.

Without the support of fundraisers like all those participating in Dry July, they would not be able to support people like Sue.

Thank you for your support of Choices by committing to go Dry this July.

Pictured: Sue with therapist, Kathy, and volunteer receptionist, Barb

We're proud to announce that Choices Cancer Care Centre (Wesley Hospital) has received a grant from the Dry July Foundation 2018 Grant Program.

The grant will go towards the following: 

• Expanding Complementary Therapy programs to allow more patients to access free therapy services at Choices Cancer Support Centre

The Uniting Care Queensland would like to send a big thank you to Australian Bitters for supplying us with product so we could produce some delicious mocktails during our Dry July campaign!