THE Gobb\u00e9 Wellness Centre will be sponsored by Kirkland Lake Gold for the next three years, allowing for Bendigo Health\u2019s cancer wellness program to continue to offering complementary therapies.<\/p>\n
The funding covers the cost of three staff members, including wellness coordinator Jenna Sing, and enables the centre to operate five days a week.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a sustainable source of support which is absolutely fantastic and it\u2019s 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Ms Sing, who oversees the wellness program, said securing the sponsorship means they can continue to provide their service.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe probably are going to outgrow the building at some stage,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this stage it\u2019s non-government funded so we\u2019re relying on donations. At any stage we could\u2019ve had to cull the service because of lack of funds, now we\u2019ve secured this three-year partnership we can continue what we\u2019re doing and grow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vice-president of Australian operations at Kirkland Lake Gold, Ion Hann, said the Gobb\u00e9 Wellness Centre perfectly suited the gold mine company\u2019s Community Partnership Program.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a tremendous opportunity for us,\u201d he said. \u201cOur company fundamentally believes in being a part of the community in which we run our operations.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou meet the people in there, Jenna Sing and her team, and they are genuinely good people, for us in reality, all we\u2019re doing is helping them financially, the really hard work gets done by the people in there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure this will be the start of further work with Bendigo Health because they provide such a good service.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE Gobb\u00e9 Wellness Centre will be sponsored by Kirkland Lake Gold for the next three years, allowing for Bendigo Health\u2019s 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 […]<\/p>\n