Cancer centre secures sponsorship

THE Gobbé Wellness Centre will be sponsored by Kirkland Lake Gold for the next three years, allowing for Bendigo Health’s cancer wellness program to continue to offering complementary therapies.

The funding covers the cost of three staff members, including wellness coordinator Jenna Sing, and enables the centre to operate five days a week.

Previously, the centre was funded through donations and fundraising efforts, such as Dry July, which only just covered the costs of running the wellness program.

Clinical director of cancer services at Bendigo Health Robert Blum said the sponsorship means there is potential to work with patients and their families on ways to expand the program.

“This is a sustainable source of support which is absolutely fantastic and it’s great for our community, it means we can spend a bit more time, and in consultation with our patients, how we can expand and improve it,” he said.

The program can see up to 50 cancer patients a day partaking in activities such as yoga, massage, tai chi, and mindfulness classes, in a safe and supportive environment.

Ms Sing, who oversees the wellness program, said securing the sponsorship means they can continue to provide their service.

“We probably are going to outgrow the building at some stage,” she said.

“At this stage it’s non-government funded so we’re relying on donations. At any stage we could’ve had to cull the service because of lack of funds, now we’ve secured this three-year partnership we can continue what we’re doing and grow.”

Vice-president of Australian operations at Kirkland Lake Gold, Ion Hann, said the Gobbé Wellness Centre perfectly suited the gold mine company’s Community Partnership Program.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for us,” he said. “Our company fundamentally believes in being a part of the community in which we run our operations.

“You meet the people in there, Jenna Sing and her team, and they are genuinely good people, for us in reality, all we’re doing is helping them financially, the really hard work gets done by the people in there.

“I’m sure this will be the start of further work with Bendigo Health because they provide such a good service.”