Helping people affected by cancer
Thanks to the incredible fundraising efforts of our Dry July participants every year, the Dry July Foundation is able to help local and national cancer support organisations across Australia deliver practical, tangible support services for people affected by cancer.
Everything we fund is to benefit cancer patients, their families and carers, aiming to make a difficult time, a little easier for people affected by cancer.
A shoulder to lean on. A comforting voice. A place to relax. This is why we Dry July.
Where the money goes
Information and Support Services
Specialist Cancer Nurses
Wellness Programs
Cancer Centre Improvements
Accommodation and Transport
Comfort and Support Items
Organisations we support
The Dry July Foundation is proud to support numerous cancer organisations across Australia.
Some of the organisations who benefit from our fundraising include:
To see the full list of cancer support organisations we fund, please click here.
CoastCanCare Program
Dry July beneficiary, the Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD), are currently running their CoastCanCare Wellness Program, an initiative funded thanks to the money raised by Dry July participants.
CoastCanCare offers a range of wellness programs designed to complement medical treatment and promote the wellbeing of Central Coast adults with cancer, their family members and carers. Such programs have been shown to be very helpful in assisting people to manage stress, anxiety, fatigue and pain. Current programs include motivational education sessions, as well as group mindfulness and meditation workshops.
As part of the program, they recently began music therapy sessions, designed to engage and focus on the whole person, not their...
Mobile Charging Bars
There is nothing more frustrating than your mobile phone running out of battery when you need to get in contact with someone, look up a number, or if undergoing cancer treatment just needing it for entertainment and a distraction. Canberra Hospital is trialling a mobile charging bar. This little convenience for patients and their families will surely make a huge difference to their hospital experience.
Ward updates at Bendigo Health Oncology Unit
Bendigo Hospital used Dry July funds to replace floor coverings, repair plaster, and paint the walls in the existing oncology unit. Lighting in the ward was also upgraded. All of these refurbishments have brightened the space up for patients, who spend up to 6 hours at a time receiving chemotherapy treatment in the ward.
Parking and Transport for Mater Patients
The Mater Comprehensive Cancer Centre is using funds from Dry July to reinstall a boom gate on level 0 of the Hancock St parking lot, which will reserve 92 parking spaces for cancer patients, and for a transport buggy.
This service will to help relieve the extra stress of finding a car park during peak times, and provide a safe and valuable service to patients who have mobility constraints.
Amaroo Oncology Ward Garden
The Prince of Wales Hospital opened a new balcony for cancer patients today, the Amaroo Garden (Amaroo means ‘beautiful place’ in a local Aboriginal dialect). Randwick Mayor, Councillor Tony Bowen, accompanied by Dry July Co-Founder Brett Macdonald, Patron Adam Spencer and Ambassador Roy Billing cut the ribbon, welcoming patients to the brand new outdoor space at the Parkes 4 East cancer ward, finished with plants and seating.
Amaroo Garden will provide a space for patients and their families to retreat from the busy hospital environment and perhaps find a little time to relax in the shade.
The balcony was completely funded by Dry July and all the participants who went 'dry’ during the month of July in 2011; previously, patients did not...
Remote Patient Video Conferencing
Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre (BRICC) is using funds from Dry July to install a video conferencing system that will enable clinical staff to hold consultations with patients who would otherwise need to travel long distances. In remote and regional areas, for example, patients sometimes travel in excess of 200kms round-trip to attend a 15 minute appointment; this system would save them some of that travel time and associated stress.
Liverpool Cancer Wellness Centre
Liverpool Cancer Therapy Centre at Liverpool Hospital used funds raised by Dry July 2012 to fit out a new wellness centre.The centre offers a friendly, supportive environment that provides a relaxed non-clinical area for patients and carers in the South Western Sydney district.
The centre comprises an indoor and outdoor kitchen, beauty room, physiotherapy room, wig library and patient resource library. Services offered include support and education groups, information sessions, occupational therapy assessment clinics, exercise classes, psychology and social work clinics.
iPads for Patient Use at Northern Sydney Cancer Centre
What a hit these have been with our patients! Hundreds of hours of treatment are given in our cancer centre each year, and this last year our patients have been thankful for the opportunity to read, watch videos and stay in touch with their loved ones while receiving treatment.
Chemotherapy Diaries for Barwon Health
Dry July is proud to have funded a pilot at Barwon Health’s Andrew Love Cancer Centre in Geelong for patient chemotherapy diaries.
These booklets contain in depth information on chemotherapy treatment for patients at the centre, as well as key contact information, and individual record keeping pages - so they can travel with patients for quick reference.