7 East Patient Kitchen at The Alfred

The patient kitchen in ward 7 East at The Alfred was recently renovated using funds from Dry July 2015.

The upgrade included installation of a duel water filter tap which provides filtered cold water and boiling water from a unit above the sink; adding more storage; building a shelf for the ice machine; including a shelf for the microwave to free up bench space; and fitting out an area for bin storage. Patients spend a lot of time on the ward and these simple upgrades to the kitchen area will make the space a little more welcoming and usable - now more than one person can use the kitchen at the same time!

CoastCanCare Upcoming Programs

CoastCanCare is a supportive program for adults on the Central Coast living with cancer. The program's goal is to address the needs of patients and incorporates care domains in nutrition, psychosocial care, physical therapy, speech pathology, care coordination, and access to complementary therapies such as Music, Art Therapies. Dry July 2016 funds will continue to support CoastCanCare.

Currently scheduled programs include: 4 x 8 week Practical exercise classes, “Your Next Step to Wellness”; 3 x 6 week “Project Wellness” courses; 2 x “Staying Positive” workshops; and 2 x “Self-Care” workshops – facilitated by Quest for Life. 

The program has recently released outcomes from its first 18 months, wherein it provided 250 hours of...

Patient Arthur Cranston on CCQ's Interlodge Transport Service

Funds raised from Dry July directly benefits thousands of Queenslanders impacted by cancer. 

Last year, your funds helped Cancer Council Queensland (CCQ) offer an Interlodge Transport Service to regional cancer patients staying at our accommodation lodges in Cairns, Townsville, South Brisbane, and Herston.  

The free service transports patients and their carers from our lodges to local treatment facilities, as well as to and from airports and major transit centres.

Each year our Interlodge Transport Service provides more than 10,000 patient and carer transport trips, helping to ease some of the financial burden that comes with a cancer diagnosis. 

Rockhampton local Arthur Cranston was one of many Queenslanders who used the...

Hand Massage Program

Arbonne Independent Consultant, Virginia Rogers, visits Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre each week to provide free hand massage to patients in the BRICC Chemotherapy Day Unit. Virginia has been providing the weekly service since January 2016, thanks to the generous support of a grant from the Dry July Foundation. 

A welcome helping hand

Kerry Briggs remembers well the first time she stepped into the Infusion Unit at Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer (FCIC) for treatment.

“I was overwhelmed. I didn’t know what to expect and I was frightened,” she recalls.

Four years down the track, the young mum of two still receives regular treatment in the FCIC – and still occasionally feels daunted.

“There’s the anxiety of not knowing what’s going to happen – not just in the long-term, but also how your body will react to each individual treatment.” On top of that, Kerry says boredom, loneliness and frustration can set in – particularly while treatments run for a few hours.

Working on this feedback, the FMC Foundation in conjunction with oncology massage therapist Karen...

Information Lounge

In its previous form, the Information Lounge (formerly the Resource Room) at Canberra Region Cancer Centre was underutilised and confusing. Patients were not sure if the room was for their use, or for the staff. There was very little space to display information.

With funding from Dry July, the Information Lounge has been made accessible and useful, with the removal of a wall, refitting of display shelves and computer desks, and a bookcase. Since opening in March, there has been an enormous increase in the use of the room, and the amount of information being accessed by patients and carers. Having the information on display and with the room having been opened up, patients and carers are utilising the space, and are now able to self...

Entertainment Trolley for Young Adult Patients

Canberra Region Cancer Centre loaded up a trolley with an Xbox, TV, Music dock, headphones, ipad and various games for use on the Xbox, using donations from Dry July.

Young people (aged 15-25) treated for cancer within Canberra Hospital are treated in adult settings – outpatient radiation and chemotherapy clinics and the inpatient ward (14B). There is no dedicated space for them or entertainment relevant to their interests.  

The entertainment trolley is managed by the AYA Cancer Specialist Nurse and provided to patients in the cancer outpatient clinics, ward 14B and various wards around the hospital where young patients might be admitted. 

I get excellent feedback from patients who have used the entertainment trolley. Often...

Upgrading Lilier Lodge in Wagga Wagga

Lilier Lodge is a dedicated patient accommodation facility in Wagga Wagga. Operated by Cancer Council NSW and Can Assist, the lodge was purchased in 2004 and has endured high traffic over the last 10 years.  

Funds raised from Dry July 2015 enabled Cancer Council NSW to commence refurbishment works in February 2016. We have completed upgrades to 20 guest rooms and are currently in final stages of renovating the reception, common rooms, offices, family suite, main entry hallway and dining room.

Lilier Lodge provides cancer patients and their families a home away from home, keeping them together during treatment. Thank You Dry Julyers!

Thank You from Cancer Council Tasmania

Support Services staff use tablet technology to assist with the provision of services, however with only 2 tablets available, the capacity to provide this support has been limited. Tablets purchased with Dry July funds have allowed staff to assist clients with better access to the electronic wig library, Cancer Council websites, and webinars.

Pictured: CCT Support Officer Karen Rogers and Director of Cancer Prevention and Support Services Raylene Cox with the new iPads funded by Dry July