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.
Hospitality and Entertainment Trolleys At the Canberra Hospital
In September 2014 a volunteer program was established to assist patients receiving care in the new Canberra Region Cancer Centre (CRCC). Funds raised through Dry July have enabled the purchase of a new hospitality trolley and entertainment trolley to benefit patients receiving treatment in the CRCC at Canberra Hospital. The trolleys are serviced by CRCC volunteers.The hospitality trolley provides a welcoming tea and coffee service to patients who find it difficult to be able to access the beverage stations, especially when on their own, as well as providing a homely service with china tea cups and tea and coffee pots.It is available to patients in the Day Therapy Unit, Radiation Oncology and the Patient Clinics.
Volunteers also operate...
Patients Talk about Art Therapy at Mater Cancer Care Centre
On Wednesday mornings, a group of women gather in a room at Mater Cancer Care Centre. A trolley is wheeled in, filled with supplies. The woman behind the trolley is not a nurse but an art therapist. Instead of bandages, swabs and rubber gloves, the trolley contains tubes of paint, brushes and pastels. The other women in the room are cancer patients. A Mater Cancer Care Nurse comes in and gives each patient a hug to say hello. The atmosphere is warm and relaxed. Everyone takes a seat and the Art Therapy session begins.
Most of the women in the room are waiting for chemotherapy treatment. The drips cannot be made up ahead of time because the recipient needs to have a blood test first. Sometimes a treatment session can be delayed because the...
Murals at Royal North Shore Hospital
Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney recently completed installation of eight large photographic murals designed and produced for the Northern Sydney Cancer Centre, Radiotherapy. The right to use the images was kindly donated by the local photographers and the work sponsored by Dry July. The material used is very special, offering anti-bacterial and microbial MRSA protection.
Artwork for Radiation Therapy at Prince of Wales Hospital
Dry July funds have been used to install beach scenes across the walls in the radiation therapy bunkers for the Coogee and Maroubra rooms at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. Such artwork has been shown to reduce patient stress while undergoing this complex and intimidating treatment.
Entertainment for Patients at PA Hospital, Brisbane
Dry July funds were used to purchase several tablets for day oncology patients to use during their treatment (and connect to Dry July funded WiFi). Chemotherapy treatments can take up to 6 hours, so having something to use can help make the time go a little faster.Funds were also used to purchase six large flat screen televisions with free to air access for waiting areas in the day treatment ward, to give patients something to do while waiting for their appointments.
Admission Packs
Being diagnosed with cancer and receiving treatment is a very overwhelming experience, with lots of questions, and multiple things to remember.
To help ease the process, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne have used a portion of their Dry July funds to develop an admission pack for patients going through chemotherapy for the first time, and provide them with as much information as possible at such a difficult time.
Dry July 2014 at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne
SVHM used Dry July 2014 funds towards a multitude of projects aimed at making patients in the cancer centre more comfortable. These included:
Patient admission packs
Boardgames for children waiting with their parents
Coral upgrade in the fish tank
Water drink bottles
CDs & CD player
Tim Tam biscuits for the beverage service
A new wheelchair
Fish tanks for the palliative care unit
The hospital is continuing at pace with their 2015 funds, seeking to purchase newspapers for the oncology ward and cancer centre, shampoo caps for oncology patients, a Stedy transport machine, Christmas decorations, new chemotherapy treatment chairs, new patient and visitor chairs in the oncology ward, and portable fold-out beds for visitors who wish to stay...
Bringing Christmas Cheer to St Vincent's
St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne have used a portion of their Dry July funds to bring some Christmas cheer to their cancer centre, oncology ward and Caritas Christi Palliative care.
Thanks to our DJs and their donors for making this possible!
New DVD to help make cancer treatment less daunting for Canberra patients
Dry July has helped fund the production of a new DVD for cancer patients at Canberra Hospital.
The DVD offers information about radiation therapy and treatment, in the hope that it will alleviate patients’ anxiety before they start a course of radiation therapy.
View the DVD content here.