Westmead Hospital - The Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre

Terry Limnidis is a patient undergoing cancer treatment at the Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre Westmead. As part Terry’s treatment for cancer he is having radiation therapy which involves lying alone in a darkened room under a treatment machine every day for the duration of treatment.

The Radiation Therapists saw a real need for providing the option to their patients of a diversion in the form of an iPad loaded with their favourite music to listen to whilst having radiation therapy. Dry July supported the start-up of the “Music in the Bunker” project and has continued to fund it for the past few years. “Being able to listen to some of my favourite music whilst in the radiation bunker really comforts me while I’m receiving my treatment. Thank you for making the Music in the Bunker Programme available.”

Programmes like the “Music in the Bunker” are just some of the fantastic patient-centred initiatives funded by the Dry July organisation at the Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre Westmead.

Work is shortly set to start on refurbishing our quiet room, located near our clinics.

This space provides a quiet and confidential area for distressed patients and their treating team to use for counselling.

Our Telehealth room which is used for consultations to regional areas will also enjoy a make-over. Both rooms will be decorated in the same theme as our other patient areas which were refurbished from 2019 Dry July funding. 

This year, your fundraising will help improve the comfort and wellbeing for people affected by cancer at The Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre through the implementation of the following projects and programs:

• Development of a quiet room

• Telehealth consult room refurbishment

• Fresh artwork

• Exercise equipment

• Bone Marrow Transplant Resources

This wouldn't be possible without you Dry Julyers - thank you!

I have been a patient at the Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre Westmead for the past 12 months.

When I first started attending, I found the centre very clinical and it reminded you that you were visiting the hospital yet again for another appointment. 

After Dry July 2019 the funds raised gave the centre a much needed upgrade. 

It was now a bright, peaceful and more comfortable place to visit. The beautiful artwork gave you something to lose your thoughts in and a more comfortable seat made the wait not as hard. 

The Centre does some wonderful work for me and countless other patients and the funds raised really do assist those undergoing cancer treatment.

With the help of funds raised by 2019 Dry July participants, patients and carers are walking into more comfortable and welcoming space thanks to an upgrade of the Westmead Hospital Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre.

New lounges and chairs, phone charging stations, TV screens, sound absorption wall tiles, and a fresh colour scheme with Australian-themed artworks are among the features of the five overhauled patient waiting rooms, designed from scratch with consumer input.

Lung cancer patient and Vietnam War veteran Steven Chamulko said he appreciated the thought that went into the redesign.

“When you walk into somewhere that’s colourful, light and bright you feel better, rather than somewhere drab that gets you down,” Steven said.

“I’ve always regarded Westmead Hospital as well-designed, with the open spaces and corridors where you can look outside and see Mother Nature. It makes a big difference.”

Architectural project officer Latifi Farah said, “The spaces are more modern and fresh with high-quality, Australian-made furniture that’s hospital grade but doesn’t look like it belongs in a hospital”

“We want people to feel more comfortable coming into a nicer space that makes them feel better.”