Giving the gift of hope

THE BARWON Health Foundation is calling on the local community to give the gift of hope this spring by supporting cancer patients in the region.

The local not-for-profit is hoping to raise enough funds during their Spring Appeal to purchase video endoscope tower radiotherapy equipment to help care and treat those receiving radiotherapy.

A video endoscope tower uses state-of-the-art technology to provide greatly enhanced resolution for cancer scanning.

The equipment allows clinicians to properly access the patient’s cancer, pre and post radiotherapy treatments and help to treat patients more precisely and efficiently.

Barwon Health Foundation executive director, Zoe Waters said the importance of such equipment and clinical trials at Barwon Health is evident in the story of Geelong local Wendy West.

“Very few people are ever discharged from palliative care, but Wendy West is one such patient.

“She credits a Barwon Health clinical cancer trial for keeping her alive.

“In December 2021 Wendy thought she wouldn’t ring in the new year.

“Now nineteen months on, Wendy has been discharged from the Palliative Care Service

“Wendy’s story shows that clinical trials and cancer care can give hope where previously there may have been none.”

Ms West was the first person in Geelong to meet the criteria to undertake new clinical cancer trials, after discovering she had terminal cancer in July 2021.

She said Barwon Health and its staff had helped give her the “greatest gift all… more time”.

“There was a time in hospital when I had the most extreme pain in the whole of my body, thinking I was going to die there and then.

“Four nurses came running in reassuring me they would not leave me and that I was not going to die.

“I looked into their eyes, and I could see tears and pure compassion. I will never forget how much they cared for me, as if I was their own mother.

“It’s the doctors, nurses and researchers of Barwon Health who have saved my life to date.

“I urge you to help raise funds to support the amazing work that is taking place.

“With every donation, you are helping patients like me live a longer, more fulfilling life.”

Donate online at www.barwonhealthfoundation.org.au