Helping people affected by cancer

Bendigo Mayor joins Bendigo Health Dry July team

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Andrea Metcalf has signed on with Bendigo Health for this year’s Dry July.

Cr Metcalf said she was pleased to support the Cancer Wellness Centre which provides activities to improve the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of cancer patients and their carers.

“It’s a great asset for our community and a place that allows someone with cancer the time and space to just be and not think about their diagnosis,” she said.

“As a non-drinker, I’m going choc-free this July and in doing so am honouring my cousin and a neighbour who both lost their battles with cancer in the past 12 months.”

Bendigo Heritage Attractions Chief Executive Officer James Reade has also signed on with Bendigo Health’s Dry July team.

Mr...

Tracey’s fundraising to help provide support services to more cancer patients and their families in WA

Tracey Wheat lost her best friend (and Mother) nearly 14 years ago from lung cancer and knows many people with cancer journeys. Having lived in the north west of WA for a very long time and seen the negative effects of alcohol, Tracey was encouraged by her son to try it after having done it several times himself. Tracey feels ‘It’s time for me to do my bit’.

Lets get behind Tracey to raise vital funds so that support services are available to more people in WA. Donate today: https://www.dryjuly.com/users/tracey-wheat

St Vincent’s ED team go dry for July

Members of the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne Emergency Department (ED) team have opted to ‘go dry’ throughout July to support patients being treated for cancer at St Vincent’s.

Team leader, Stephanie Beckman, said various members of the ED team have participated in Dry July over the last few years. “I’m a part of the Staff Wellbeing Group and Dry July has been a terrific campaign for us to get involved with, not only from a health perspective but because it’s for such a good cause.”

Steph has been a nurse at St Vincent’s for five years. She says the ED team are the best group she’s ever worked with because they’re collaborative. “The nurses, doctors, physios, pharmacists, ward clerks and the alert team all work as one, big, collaborate...

Music therapy program hits the right note for Julie

It seemed to be just a normal Friday for Julie, when she suddenly noticed a rash appear on her legs. Julie went to her GP to get blood tests taken – the following Tuesday she was admitted to The Alfred.

Julie and her family then received the unexpected news that she had adult acute myeloid leukemia,a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes a large number of abnormal blood cells.

Sitting in the ward worried about the diagnosis and upcoming treatment, Julie took a breath and heard music very faintly in the background. This was Lucy’s harp playing, made possible thanks to the music therapy program funded through Dry July.

“Immediately I felt more relaxed about the treatment and journey ahead. The music was just beautiful; it was so...

Daniela - A Myeloma Nurse Practitioner

Daniela has been a nurse at The Alfred for the past 20 years and has provided care for many cancer patients during that time. She is passionate about caring for myeloma patients in all aspects of their treatment phase, ensuring their needs are met for a positive patient and carer experience. One aspect of Daniela’s role is coordinating stem cell transplants for her myeloma patients.

She has seen first-hand the huge difference that Dry July funding makes to her myeloma patients. Many of these patients are going through some of the toughest times in their lives and living rurally or regionally, which means they have additional financial, emotional and transport pressures. The accommodation provided using the Dry July funding means that...

Serena's Story

Many patients requiring chemotherapy spend numerous hours in hospital receiving treatment, one such person is Serena Williams who has so far received 35 rounds of chemotherapy.

Serena has been battling bowel and liver cancer since 2020. A mum to two daughters and grandmother to baby Finley, Serena was given the devastating news by her doctor that she had terminal cancer, and that she probably had a month to live.

Serena said, “I’ve been a fighter and a hard worker all of my life, so I told my doctor a month didn’t suit me at all. As a single mother I have worked so hard for so long that I haven’t really had time to smell the roses! I was determined to survive a lot longer than that.”

The close bond Serena has with her daughters was all...

Go Dry This July to support people like Nicholas being treated for Cancer at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne!

Nick Capper's life was irreversibly changed due to testicular cancer. Since being diagnosed four months ago he has had treatment at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.

Nick has a special message he wanted us to share with you, watch it here: https://www.stvfoundation.org.au/events/dry-july-2022

Sue's Story

Eight years ago, Sue was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time during a routine check-up, “I hadn’t even thought it could all go wrong again”. Sue was told she would need a double mastectomy which then led to eight correctional surgeries. “Cancer attracts other problems”, while Sue was going through her surgeries her father died and her daughter was going through divorce.

“Physically I was really well but mentally I was all over the place. I was really resentful and very angry but determined not to show that to people.” Sue was fit, healthy and doing everything you should to maintain a healthy lifestyle, “I remember seeing people at the supermarket smoking outside or eating a packet of chips and thinking ‘why me?’.”

The...

Kellie's Story

How a clinical trial gave Kellie her life back

As a theatre nurse, Lara resident, Kellie Devlin has cared for hundreds of sick people throughout her career, but she never imagined she would become one of them.

Kellie recalls a dark day in November 2017 which marked the beginning of her journey. She was enjoying her morning coffee, standing in the kitchen watching the news when all of a sudden, she said it felt like she’d been shot in the leg. “I felt an intense pain in my leg, then I lost all feeling and fell to the ground. I thought I was having a stroke!”

She called out to her then nine-year-old daughter, Daisy, who was still sleeping to call her husband who had already left for work, and an ambulance.

“By the time I arrived at the...