Helping people affected by cancer

By participating in Dry July and raising funds for The Royal Melbourne Hospital, you'll be helping provide support to people like Kelly

2020 will be a year Kelly O’Sullivan never forgets. COVID was running rampant all over the world, Melbourne was in lockdown and Kelly was diagnosed with head and neck cancer.

Kelly was no stranger to head and neck cancer as her step father battled with the disease, but it still came as a shock. Kelly was fit, active and very social with 2 grown up children and a 4 year old who kept her on her toes. Following a dental check, a lesion was found in her inner cheek lining. After having this closely monitored for around 3 years, an epic ulcer developed in her mouth and then her tongue. Kelly’s regular specialist appointment was cancelled because of COVID but when her pain became so bad, she was ordered to come into The Royal Melbourne...

By supporting Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre Westmead, you are helping to provide important comfort items to people like Terry

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....

Go Dry in July and help local cancer patients get to and from hospital for chemotherapy, radiation therapy, tests and appointments

Gold Coast Hospital Foundation’s Cancer Patient Transport Service provides an invaluable lifeline for local cancer patients like Paulette, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in 2011.

Paulette was one of the first patients to use the Foundation’s Cancer Patient Transport Service and still benefits from this crucial service today. Without the Cancer Patient Transport Service, Paulette and fellow cancer patients would worry how to travel safely and reliably to hospital and back home.

“When you’re a regular like me, it gives you independence. You can’t expect to rely on family, friends or neighbours to drive you all the time. It’s an essential service that is vital to our wellbeing,” Paulette said.

By taking part in Dry July...

By supporting St Vincent's Hospital, you'll be helping people like Souhail get support when they need it most

Souhail Imam’s cancer journey began with virtually no warning signs. In April of 2017, at 38 years old he was fulfilling his life-long dream. After years of hard work and hundreds of hours of training, he had become a successful commercial airline pilot. Then, one day out of the blue, Souhail had a seizure. A brain scan confirmed his worst fears, revealing he had a brain tumour.

Not only was his diagnosis a shock but it also meant the end of his career as a commercial pilot.

“Being a pilot had always been my childhood dream. It was very hard to be told I had cancer because it meant giving up a job I loved. At least I was able to enjoy 10 years of flying,” Souhail said.

After discovering the tumour was cancerous, his treatment plan went...

Calvary Mater Newcastle are grateful for the opportunity to purchase much needed pressure relieving equipment

What a relief

The surgical ward supports patients both pre and post operatively in their cancer journey. Providing patients with equipment to facilitate a timely discharge home without complications is important. One of these preventable complications is pressure injuries. Pressure injuries are not only costly for the hospital, but can cause unnecessary pain and extend a patients stay in hospital, keeping them away from loved ones.

Lara Riley, Nurse Unit Manager, Ward 4B, said, “With the generous support of Dry July, we were able to purchase four ROHO cushions, in two different sizes.

“Surgery and treatment may prevent our patients from moving around as they would normally do, and can increase the risk of impaired skin integrity. This may...

By participating in Dry July this year, you are continuing to bring the joy of music therapy to the Alfred’s HOC department

For the past 5 years Jacquie, now aged 70, has been sailing around the world on her boat. First Jacquie travelled up to Darwin, then across the Indian Ocean to South Africa, before heading over to South America and up to the Caribbean. Then it was through the Panama Canal and on to the islands of the Pacific before heading back to Australia again. Jacquie has known many adventures along the way as a solo sailor and in that time, she also wrote and published her own book “Just Me at Sea”. Her boat’s name is Shanti, which means peace, tranquility, bliss & the ability to rise above stress and adversity. As Jacquie says “kind of sums up my circumnavigation as well as my current journey.”

Both luckily and unluckily, it was in the time...

Dry July's 2020 funding provided four new chemotherapy chairs for Calvery Mater Newcastle Day Treatment Centre

Built for comfort

Marissa Ledlin, Nurse Unit Manager of the Day Treatment Centre, comments, “With long hours spent receiving chemotherapy, it is important that our patients remain comfortable during this time. The new chemotherapy chairs are so comfortable, sometimes we need to wake the patients up when their treatment is complete. The chairs have silica upholstery which will reduce the risk of pressure injury to patients. A multimedia platform provides a place for personal equipment to prevent boredom and a USB port to charge their personal devices. All these features will increase patient comfort and improve their treatment experience.

“These chairs have not only proved popular with our patients, but with nurses as well. It is very...

Calvary Mater Newcastle are very appreciative for two new ultrasound machines purchased for the Day Treatment Centre

Patients attending the Day Treatment Centre have regular cannulations for their chemotherapy treatment and for some patients this can be a long and uncomfortable experience.

Day Treatment Centre Nurse Unit Manager, Marissa Ledlin, comments, “Overtime, because of frequent cannulations and treatment, patients’ veins can become more problematic to cannulate. These new ultrasound machines can significantly cut back the number of attempts when staff are faced with a difficult cannulation, relieving unnecessary stress and time for our patients.”

Breast cancer patient, Tamie Geosits, has been receiving chemotherapy for almost a year. In the past, there have been occasions where cannulations have been difficult, Tamie has endured long attempts...

If there is one thing that 202O showed us it is that we all crave connection, and that music is such a strong vehicle for that connection.

We are so grateful to the Dry July Foundation for their support to help us create mini portable recording set ups, for us to expand on our therapeutic songwriting session with people living with cancer and their families- and literally help us ‘bring the studio session’ to them.

If there is one thing that 202O showed us it is that we all crave connection, and that music is such a strong vehicle for that connection. During our lockdowns we see the impact of how hard it is to be alone for everyone and this is magnified for all our patients. Often people living with cancer are isolated in their treatment without the pandemic, so add one in, and things are really, really, tough. Music therapy has been in high demand and we had to find ways...