COMMUNITY fundraising through the Dry July initiative will cover more than one-third of the Grampians Health Cancer Wellness Centre’s annual operating costs.<\/p>\n
The Wellness Warriors Dry July team raised more than $30,000 for the organisation that supports local patients and their families.<\/p>\n
The Wellness Ball, which is now in its fourth year, included more than 100 guests with live music, entertainment and special guest Billy Brownless.<\/p>\n
Kelli Aggett founded the ball alongside her brother Joshua Ryan. She said the wellness centre has provided critical support.<\/p>\n
“In 2012, when my youngest was just a few months old, I was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer, and four years later I faced ovarian cancer,” Ms Aggett said.<\/p>\n
“Those were overwhelming times.<\/p>\n
“The wellness centre became my safe place; somewhere I could take a breath, be myself, and find support not just for me, but for my whole family.<\/p>\n
“That’s why I started the wellness ball, to pay it forward to other cancer fighters and bring the community together to raise the funds needed to keep this centre running.”<\/p>\n
The wellness centre is funded entirely through community donations, and manger Simone Noelker said the community’s fundraising efforts show how much the centre is valued.<\/p>\n
“Every service we provide at the wellness centre, from emotional wellbeing to physical recovery, is only possible because of community generosity,” she said.<\/p>\n
“To think that one community-driven effort has raised over a third of our yearly costs is remarkable.<\/p>\n
“It means more patients and families can continue accessing the support they need, free of charge, at a time filled with so much uncertainty.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
COMMUNITY fundraising through the Dry July initiative will cover more than one-third of the Grampians Health Cancer Wellness Centre’s annual operating costs. The Wellness Warriors Dry July team raised more than $30,000 for the organisation that supports local patients and their families. The Wellness Ball, which is now in its fourth year, included more than […]<\/p>\n