Helping people affected by cancer

In 2020, the staff of St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne fundraised an incredible $5,000

The power of a united effort

Staff from St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne 6th Floor created a team for Dry July 2020. Together, the nine team members raised over $5,000. These funds will go towards purchasing much needed items and even a few extra comforts for patients receiving treatment for cancer at St Vincent’s.

2020 was the first year the 6th Floor created a team for Dry July. Leader of the team and Registered Nurse, Kate Gore, gave us an insight into her team’s experiences.

What inspired you to get a team together for Dry July?

Our patients inspired us to get involved. We are a specialised Oncology, Haematology and Palliative Care ward, so our patients benefit greatly from the Dry July campaign. They go through a tough journey during...

Flinders Foundation purchase a new FibroScan machine for the Flinders Medical Centre Hepatology and Liver Unit

Patients at Flinders Medical Centre, and across regional and remote South Australia, are now receiving the monitoring they need to help detect liver cancer before it’s too late…thanks to Dry July!

This state-of-the art equipment provides a non-invasive way of assessing the amount of fibrosis or scarring in a liver, without the need for an invasive liver biopsy.

The amount of fibrosis is a critical risk factor for liver cancer, and by detecting liver issues earlier through a FibroScan, more treatments and enrolment in a cancer surveillance program can be initiated to give patients the best chance of a good outcome.

Professor Alan Wigg, Head of Flinders’ Hepatology and Liver Transplantation Medicine Unit, said in the few short months since...

Brendan, a patient of St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, shares his story

Your Dry July fundraising helps St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne provide optimal comfort and support to their patients undergoing treatment; people like Brendan.

You can watch Brendan's story here: www.dryjuly.com/2020/brendans-story

Sign up to Dry July and support St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne to help more people like Brendan here

By partipating in Dry July, you could help raise funds for The Alfred so people like Lisa can access to patient accommodation

Lisa has three grown children and lives with her husband Shane in Mildura, a 6-hour drive from Melbourne. Her and her husband have a morning ritual to get up early and go for a walk along the beautiful Murray River. In late 2019 & early 2020 it became increasingly difficult to go for those walks.

She says, “I was just in so much pain, those morning walks became impossible.”

When physio and pilates made no difference, Lisa went to her doctor. After a series of tests and scans she received the devastating diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma – A type of blood cancer.

For her more complex care needs and treatment, Lisa needed to make the long trips to Melbourne. While so far from the comforts of home, Lisa was lucky to have access to the...

Meet the Wren family, BRICC's ambassadors for Dry July 2021

Shayne and Denise Wren have both accessed the programs on offer at Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre (BRICC) Wellness Centre during their cancer treatments. Both Shayne and Denise can not speak highly enough of the many complimentary services that are on offer to all patients. Their daughter Gabrielle is also on board, she reflects on how beneficial the Centre has been for their family during the most challenging of times.

We thank the Wren’s for their support in helping raise awareness and in turn, helping cover costs of the services on offer at the Wellness Centre that is proudly 100% funded by community.

Your fundraising has helped Choices Cancer Support Centre support people like Meg

The Alfred's Patient Accommodation and Music therapy programs to continue running this year thanks to Dry July funding!

Here at The Alfred, we’re so pleased that the Patient Accommodation Program and Music Therapy Programs will once again be running this year thanks to funds raised through Dry July!

We’d like to thank everyone who contributed, either by going dry or donating, and to encourage you all to consider joining this worthy cause again in 2021.

Here is just some of the feedback we’ve received to show what a huge difference these programs make in the lives of cancer patients treated here at The Alfred.

Patient Accommodation Program (free accommodation for regional cancer patients)

“Without the accommodation there’s little chance I’d have been able to continue treatment. Financially it took the pressure off and my father was able to come and care...

Thanks to our funding, Wollongong Hospital has been able to create bright, welcoming waiting areas

Our patients told us that that our clinical and cold feeling waiting areas only encouraged feelings of anxiety and fear about their cancer treatment. They suggested a warmer environment with softer décor and visual improvements.

We collaborated with the local Aboriginal community of Coomaditchie asking them to create a bright welcoming artwork for our patients and visitors. They created a unique piece for us with significant meaning.

The flame tree in the centre represents the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre. The petals around it in orange are all the people and the black lines leading to it are the roads people travel on to get here. The coloured circles represent the different colours of cancer. The butterflies and dragonflies represent...

Thanks to funds raised through Dry July 2020, refurbishment is about to start on Westmead's Quiet Room and Telehealth Consult Room's

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.