Cancer is a major cause of illness and premature death in the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District. Every year around 5,000 people are diagnosed with cancer. More than one in three local community members will develop cancer during their lifetime.

The Prince of Wales Hospital Cancer Survivorship Centre will be located in the Medical Superintendent’s Cottage, adjacent to the Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

Constructed in 1867, the Superintendent’s Cottage is of historical significance as part of the former Destitute Children’s Asylum. The site demonstrates an uninterrupted progression of history from the operation of the orphanage in the mid-19th century, then as a military hospital and repatriation hospital during the early 20th century and later as part of the Prince of Wales Hospital.

Patients come not only from Sydney metropolitan area, but the Centre also services cancer patients from all over the state. Our cancer survivors are at increased risk for serious long-term morbidity related to the adverse physical, psycho-social and economic burden of cancer and cancer treatment, for a significant period of time beyond diagnosis and treatment.

The purpose of the Prince of Wales Hospital Cancer Survivorship Centre is to optimise the health and wellbeing of people living with and beyond cancer.

The Centre will engage all who are impacted by cancer as empowered partners and integrating evidence-informed and evidence-generating care to deliver a patient-centred, cost-effective, sustainable and innovative cancer survivorship program.

The program will focus on prevention, surveillance for recurrence, monitoring and intervention for the physical and psycho-social effects of cancer and cancer treatment. With Dry July’s help, we were able to purchase vital equipment for the Centre and are excited to launch the facility in April 2019.

It will be open to patients in the coming months when we will further update our supporters on its progress.