News

Three years of fundraising and community came together in late May as the Barwon Health Foundation officially opened the Chemotherapy Day Ward and Oncology Pharmacy at Barwon Health’s Andrew Love Cancer Centre.

Launched in 2015 Project Love was a fundraising campaign to redevelop the Chemotherapy Day Ward and Oncology Pharmacy to increase patient comfort and care for the 2400 people diagnosed with cancer in the Geelong region each year.

The redevelopment was opened by Barwon Health Board Chair Brian Cook and Barwon Health Foundation Chair Dan Simmonds, with a celebration at the Andrew Love Cancer Centre which featured all major donors and supporters, along with patients and staff who have been a part of the fundraising campaign.

Local singer Taylor Henderson also performed to help mark the occasion.

Barwon Health Foundation General Manager, Zoe Waters said the campaign had been a very personal cause for many people in the community,

“People of Geelong have donated, motivated by a number of different emotions. They may have been treated at Andrew Love Cancer Centre, they may have been witness to the strength of a loved one being treated at Andrew Love Cancer Centre or they may have lost someone very special who was cared for by Andrew Love Cancer Centre.

"This project, this new redevelopment, has been created in honour of the brave, courageous, past, present and future patients of our very own the Andrew Love Cancer Centre, and on behalf of the Foundation, we sincerely hope we have done you proud.”

The redevelopment will make a big difference to the 220 patients requiring chemotherapy treatment each week and will offer our patients and their families the following benefits:

• Provide clinicians and pharmacists with more efficient facilities to support the continued growth in the volume of manufactured chemotherapy drugs.
• A private space for the individual counselling of patients, particularly with the increased use of oral chemotherapy treatments and take-home medication.
• A direct link between the Oncology Pharmacy and Day Ward to allow for safer and more efficient transport and delivery of drugs.
• The specialised Oncology Pharmacy. Dispensary will minimise the need for patients to visit the main hospital pharmacy.
• Improved facilities will provide patients easier access to oncology and haematology clinical trials, with a purpose built clinical trials area.
• Cubicle style treatment bays allowing more private space for patients and their families.
• Upgraded décor to provide patients with a calm comfortable environment.
• Upgraded food and beverage station for volunteers to provide a better service to patients during their treatment.
• Improved work areas for medical staff to enable enhanced visibility of patients during their treatment.
• A family treatment bay will provide a more comfortable environment for patients receiving treatment while caring for children.

There’s always a need for support to continue the amazing work of the Andrew Love Cancer Centre team.

If you would like to leave a legacy to support the lifesaving work of Barwon Health’s Andrew Love Cancer Centre please contact the Barwon Health Foundation on 4215 8900 or visit www.barwonhealthfoundation.org.au