Helping people affected by cancer

Dry July funds help Westmead support people like Jane

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.

Funds raised by Dry July participants help The Alfred support people like Brett

On Valentines’ Day 2018, I was diagnosed with Leukaemia ALL B Cell Philadelphia Positive – a rare and aggressive form of cancer. I went to the see a local Melbourne GP after feeling unwell for about a month; however, I didn’t think my symptoms were all that serious. My symptoms were a cold with a barking cough, night sweats which became continuous throughout the day as time progressed, a faint purple dotted rash on my chest and legs, fatigue, muscle soreness, heavy menstrual period and nose and mouth bleeds.

Once I explained these symptoms to the GP, he urged me to go straight to Emergency as there was likely something wrong with my blood composition. He explained it could be Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), and Lymphoma or...

Your Dry July fundraising helps St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne support people like Karen

Living with an incurable cancer is an extremely challenging situation for anyone to be faced with but Warrnambool resident Karen Wilde has refused to focus on the negatives of her diagnosis. Instead, she has harnessed the power of positive thinking and is making the most of life.

Karen was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, seven years ago. Her diagnosis came after she complained to her doctor about knee pain.

“It was a stroke of luck that my doctor recalled a woman who had experienced similar symptoms who had been diagnosed with the disease,” Karen said.

In Australia, approximately 1700 people are diagnosed with myeloma each year.

Karen is one of only 46 people in the world participating in a clinical trial...

Your Dry July fundraising helps St Vincent's Hospital Sydney support people like Ulrike

"I immensely enjoyed the free group programs at the Kinghorn Cancer Centre made possible by Dry July fundraising.

They were a gift sent from heaven during a very tough time of treatment including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and several surgeries. They not only provided a diversion from the tough treatment but also equipped me with techniques to reduce my anxiety and improve my sleep, and allowed me to see the possibility of a future. Indeed, they greatly contributed to getting me back, mentally and physically, to a state where I could function again for my two little children.

The programs also connected me to other people who were faced with the same difficulties and tough decisions. Suddenly I was not alone anymore and was able to...

Nguyen 'Thai' Dang's Story

The care shown to Nguyen Thai Dang since he first came to the oncology ward of the Princess Alexandra Hospital in 2018 for chemotherapy to treat leukemia, ended in him nicknaming the PA ‘The Hilton of Hospitals’ and becoming not only a survivor but a champion of the hospital and its staff.

Thai, as he is known to his friends, checked into the PA’s Oncology ward at the request of haematologists on October 22, due to his white blood cell count sliding downward for a matter of months.

“There was a trial treatment organized by PA Hospital and Norvatis Pharmaceutical that would allow me to have a path to treatment that would be less of a burden to Australian taxpayers. Looking at the results of my last blood test, I decided to get on the...

A busy working mother of three, Meredith Holmes was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer

Running along a beach in Queensland with her sister, 42 year-old Meredith had to slow down because of the pain she was feeling from a lump in her breast. She had noticed the lump previously but hadn’t for a moment thought it might be breast cancer.

“There was no history of breast cancer in my family,” she says. “I had a scan in Queensland and it suggested I have more follow up tests when I got back to Melbourne, where I was diagnosed with a very aggressive type of breast cancer.”

A recent separation meant she was facing diagnosis and treatment as a single mother. Treatment was immediate and urgent, with surgery to remove the tumor followed by a course of chemotherapy four weeks later once Meredith had recovered from the surgery....

Yoga creates balance for cancer patients

Anne Stroud became a patient at the ONJ Cancer Centre when she was diagnosed with bowel cancer in March 2018. The Gentle Yoga program at the ONJ Centre uses gentle movement and breathing practices to help you reduce stress and tension, increase energy and foster a positive relationship with your body.

Wellness programs helped Anne cope with the stress of her diagnosis and treatment. With her home being the mountains of East Gippsland, Anne decided to stay close to the hospital while undergoing treatment, giving her the opportunity and the time to immerse herself in the many nurturing and self-care wellness activities held every day. Gentle yoga was a highlight for Anne.

“Gentle yoga was just amazing. It gave me contact with other people...

Care Package recipient shares her story

Going through cancer treatment is scary, and extremely stressful, so to have an organisation like Mummy's Wish think of me and my children, and want to help us, touched my heart more than words can say.

I received a Mummy's wish care package full of lovely items that made me smile and feel special. The most cherished item was a beautiful teddy bear that I was able to record a message with my voice for my daughter to help her when she misses me through the long hospital stays, the teddy has been really helpful.

Mummy's Wish even kindly gave us food vouchers to help ease the stress on those weeks when everyone is only just barely keeping it together and has no energy to think about preparing meals. These were a godsend because they fed us...

Chris O'Brien Lifehouse uses Dry July funds to help support people like Pamela

Pamela's Story

"This photo was taken early last December after struggling through my second chemotherapy treatment and miserably obvious hair loss.

Our time for non-medical appointments was limited as we live in Orange and had only two nights accommodation near the Lifehouse so we hoped to see about a wig before returning home.

The Lifehouse Living Room has a delightful encouraging atmosphere and when I requested a wig library visit within our limited time we learnt that it was closed and undergoing renovations (with funds from Dry July) and appointments were not being made for several weeks. However, the wonderful staff in the Lifehouse were most considerate and dear Karen, the wig specialist, arranged for us to visit before we drove...