Helping people affected by cancer

Meet Kelli, BRICC'S Dry July 2022 Ambassador

In February 2012, Kelli Aggett finished breastfeeding her 3rd child, Poppi, who was 4 months old. A month later she noticed her left breast was not ‘right’– it was sore, red and swollen. Although her GP thought it was recurring mastitis, they sent her for a mammogram and biopsy. These indicated it was a rare inflammatory metastatic breast cancer.

Without a family history of breast cancer and with three kids under 4 years old, the then 38-year-old was very shocked with this news. The next couple of weeks were filled with appointments after appointments. The Wellness Centre at the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre (BRICC) became a place for Kelli and her family to turn to for support and information, through a range of one-on-one...

Daniel's Story

“Finding Debbie and the STEEL Program has changed my life."

After being diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in February 2020 and requiring a bone marrow transplant in August 2020, I lost my confidence and sense of self. The thought of getting back into shape on my own was a terrifying one. I didn’t know where to start and was nervous to work out. I was concerned that the muscle loss I suffered due to treatment would mean I no longer had the foundations to attempt exercises I’d done many times before getting ill.

Thankfully I came across a post on one of the Leukaemia Group pages I follow where someone was sharing the fact that they’d come across the PINC and STEEL program in Sydney.

With Google’s help I came across a site that listed...

Leonie's Story

“My breast surgeon referred me to cancer rehab physiotherapist Hope Spencer at The Positive Health Project so I could improve my shoulder movement prior to breast reconstruction surgery, and I haven't looked back.”

Leonie was diagnosed with breast cancer Stage 2, Grade 2 in April 2020 just as the first wave of covid restrictions started. Despite having a good circle of support, getting a cancer diagnosis during this time meant that Leonie completed her oncology appointment and treatments on her own. She felt stressed, anxious, and very lonely. The pandemic had added even more stress to what a very emotional time, and Leonie was impacted by high levels of anxiety throughout.

Leonie had a single mastectomy with an expander and sentinel...

Kerry's Story

Hi, my name is Kerry and I live in Brisbane. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in August 2019, such a shock as no obvious signs which is often the case with this type of cancer. I started chemotherapy straight away, followed by surgery and more chemotherapy. I was lucky enough to be given a brochure about Choices Cancer Support Centre at the time and became a regular there participating in yoga and gym program, it was nice to be around others that knew what you were going through.

I was a very active person prior to my diagnosis and was determined to keep up with my fitness as much as I could. I joined the Choices Gym Program and really enjoyed the emphasis on staying healthy and fit during and after treatment. Having an exercise...

Your 2021 Dry July fundraising has helped patients living with cancer continue to access wellness therapies at the ONJ Centre

Our Wellness Team supports patients’ body, mind and soul alongside their medical treatment.

Thanks to you, Dry July fundraising has kept our Wellness gym open and provided additional psychological support to help people cope with the enormity of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Research has shown that exercising through cancer treatment not only helps maintain strength and energy levels, it also reduces the severity and number of side effects that are common with cancer treatment.

“Exercise has improved my energy levels, mood and given me a sense of purpose.” A wellness gym patient said.

"Your eight-week program has set me on a path to regular exercise and a healthier lifestyle. It also enabled me to stay fit during treatment, which I...

Ian and Barb's Story

Ian and Barb were the first residents of the Ba-Lee Lodges after they were recently refurbished thanks to funding from the Dry July Foundation.

Ian was a patient of Barwon Health’s Andrew Love Cancer Centre receiving 8 weeks of radiation therapy.

With the couple living in Mildura the relief of not having to worry about finding accommodation for the duration of Ian’s treatment was great.

The Ba-Lee Lodges are located in close proximity to the Andrew Love Cancer Centre which makes getting to and from treatment easy for patients and with the recent upgrades the units are now more than ever a home away from home for patients and their families.

Although this time was very difficult for Ian and his wife Barb, he described their stay at the...

Cheryle's Story

At Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre (BRICC) we are very proud to welcome Cheryle Allan as our Ambassador for the BRICC Wellness Centre 2022 Dry July Campaign.

Early in 2018 Cheryle dismissed not feeling 100%, “having a lot on at the time” - renovating a house and helping her daughter care for her children. It was not until months later in the shower, feeling much better “fit and healthy” she felt some pressure under her arm “almost like a pimple” and didn’t think much of it. The following day presented the same issue and she decided to go see her GP, who sent Cheryle straight off for a mammogram.

At the end of the day she got a call with the news that she had stage 3 triple negative breast cancer. Cheryle has no history of...

Aleesha's Story

At the end of 2018, I discovered a large lump on my neck while I was working overseas. My doctor arranged for it to be biopsied once I returned to the country in February 2019, and those tests came back inconclusive. About eight months later, I still had the lump and I was feeling really run down, and my new GP ran some further tests and recommended that I get the lump biopsied again. The second time the tests showed that I had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

There was about six weeks between my diagnosis and staring treatment, and in between that there was a heap of other tests, a rushed round of IVF to collect some eggs, and turning 30. Going through treatment was difficult. It was the first time I had spent a lot of time as a patient in the...

Patricia's Story

Patricia Mahara has a strong family history of cancer. After losing her mother to breast cancer 20 years ago, in 2020 she faced her own battle with the disease, yet she stayed incredibly positive thanks to the strong support networks around her.

Patricia’s treatment included surgery, chemotherapy and 30 rounds of radiation therapy at the Mater Cancer Centre. She also participated in the Return to Wellness program to help with her recovery, saying “it was the first time throughout the journey that I could talk with ladies that were going through the same things as me.”

Developed by the Mater Breast Care team, Return to Wellness offers breast cancer patients access to a guided exercise program with a physiotherapist and breast care nurse,...