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.
Sky ceilings at Royal North Shore Hospital
Royal North Shore Hospital has been able to install sky ceilings in the radiotherapy bunkers at the Northern Sydney Cancer Centre using money from Dry July.
Installing Sky Ceilings makes an intimidating medical equipment a little more welcoming. It creates a positive, patient friendly environment. The patient experience is enhanced through these surroundings; it also helps the caregiver, nurse and doctor because patients are more cooperative. Art on dropped ceiling tiles and wall murals in healthcare settings has been proven to lower blood pressure, speed up recovery times and reduce overall stress and anxiety in patients.
Courtyard Opens at The Alfred
The Alfred is astounded at the support the community has shown us throughout Dry July. We would like to thank you for helping us to improve the facilities in which our patients are treated. Your support assists people facing a very difficult journey and for that we are enormously grateful.
Since becoming a beneficiary of Dry July in 2014, The Alfred has already seen some amazing and positive changes. We recently opened a new garden courtyard outside the patient waiting area in the William Buckland Radiotherapy Centre. This tranquil and beautiful space will have a constructive and beneficial influence on those undergoing cancer treatments. With the funds received this year we will continue to improve those areas where our patients spend...
New Curtains for Patient Rooms at PA Hospital
Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane asked patients what the hospital could do to make their treatment more comfortable, and one of the common responses was to put up some art in common and patient areas to make it feel less clinical.
Funds from Dry July have gone towards wall art and curtains in walkways and wait areas of the day treatment area.They are causing a lot of excitement throughout the hospital and many other departments want to follow suit!
LED Lightshows installed at Nepean CCC
On Monday 29 June, Nepean Cancer Care Centre celebrated the completion of their LED lightshow installation. 2 lighting boxes have been installed in the centre’s 2 radiotherapy bunkers to distract and amuse patients during their treatment.
These installations will make a huge difference to patients facing what can be an intimidating treatment experience in the bunkers.
Arts for Health at Calvary Mater Newcastle
Calvary Mater Newcastle’s Mercy Hospice, part of the hospital’s Department of Palliative Care, is a place of care and compassion for patients facing serious illness.The Fig Tree Program is run in the Hospice and provides an opportunity for palliative care patients to participate in a range of creative activities in a supportive group setting. It has been running for over 18 years and the positive impact it has on both patients and their families and carers, cannot be over stated.
Thanks to recent Dry July funding, the program has been able to enhance its creative offering with the skills and fresh ideas of two Novocastrian artists, Dr Annemarie Murland and Marika Osmotherly, to engage in an ‘Arts for Health’ project.
It has long been...
SolarisCare Community Garden
Through the support of Dry July, SolarisCare Foundation recently undertook the development of a purpose-built community garden within Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands (WA).
The garden will be an oasis within the hospital setting, providing a safe place for patients and their families to take a break and relax.
Clinical Haematologist at SCGH, Founder and Medical Director of SolarisCare Foundation, Dr David Joske, said patients needed a tranquil location to cope with their diagnoses and treatment. “There are times patients simply need to get away to take some time out for themselves – this time of solitude and reflection has been proven as effective in enhancing treatment,” Dr Joske said.
SolarisCare Cancer Support Centres are the...
Recliner Chairs at Calvary Mater Newcastle
On the purchase of recliner chairs for cancer patients at Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle, Lara Riley, Acting Nurse Unit Manager, Ward 4B, said,
“Last year, Ward 4B (Surgical) was fortunate enough to receive funds from Dry July to purchase two patient bedside recliner chairs. These chairs are positioned using a simple lever action and aid patients in a comfortable recovery by facilitating a full recline with legs raised. They are a popular addition to Ward 4B and are used on a daily basis. Both patients and staff are very grateful for this addition to the ward. Thank you!”
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...