Community
9 September, 2023
Cancer hub go ahead
TWO generous donations totalling $250,000 have pushed the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation’s fundraiser for a Cancer Care Hub at the Liz Plummer Cancer Centre past a $1.5 million goal and the dream becoming reality.
Through the generosity of retired couple from Melbourne Ellis and Denise Richardson ($150,000) and the Mills Family Foundation ($100,000), the fundraising that began in February, has finalised to begin planning and development stages for the $3.4m upgrade in the next 12-18 months.
Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Centre (CHHHS) has also pledged $1.9m toward the project.
Foundation chief executive Gina Hogan said the project aimed to improve cancer care in the region.
“I’m extremely proud to say that we have raised our $1.5m fundraising target. There has been a 40 per cent increase in cancer activity at the Liz Plummer Cancer Care Centre in the past five years so this project is really important to the community,” she said.
“The Cancer Care Hub, it’s about taking cancer care services to the next level in the region, enhancing the environment and facilities for patients, their families and health workers.”
Anne Mills, a member of the Mills Family Foundation and sister of Charlie Woodward, who campaigned for the cancer care centre, said the cause was close to her heart.
“This was something Charles worked passionately towards and I’m glad that our donation will help lift the service to the next level that patients in the region need,” she said.
The final donation came from the Richardsons who pledged $150,000 to give back to the community.
“I’m a survivor of bowel cancer myself. We lived in Cairns for 10 years and I have been a patient at Cairns Hospital so we’re thrilled that we can help people when they’re going through their treatment,” Mrs Richardson said.
CHHHS chief executive Leena Singh said the development of the hub would be rolled out in the next 18 months.
