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.
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.
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...