 Hospital Projects
Raise the Roof
Through the support of our community Bendigo Health has helped improve the lives of cancer patients while they receive treatment in Bendigo. You can help us continue this wonderful service to patients.
Being diagnosed with cancer is a life changing experience, once the initial shock passes and treatment is planned, patients then need to organise where to stay in Bendigo while receiving up to six weeks treatment. This is how the 'Raise the Roof' accommodation helps our cancer patients. Imagine, having to leave home for up to six weeks, wondering who looks after your home, children, pets, garden and then on top of that, where do you stay while you are in Bendigo.
To make life a little easier Bendigo Health, with the help of a community committee, launched the 'Raise the Roof' appeal during 2001, to raise funds to buy or build 12 homelike accommodation units for patients to stay in while they receive treatment in Bendigo.
The generosity of the community was over whelming, this support quickly resulted in completion stage one of the 'Raise the Roof' project with the purchase and refurbishment of six accommodation units in Nolan Street, Bendigo. Since then, at a cost of $10 per night, the Nolan Street 'Raise the Roof' accommodation has been a home -away-from-home for many patients.
In 2007 the Victorian government funded a second linear accelerator; this meant that more cancer patients could be treated in Bendigo. A decision was quickly made to establish a further six accommodation units close by the Bendigo Hospital. Already owned by Bendigo Health, accommodation at 59 Lucan Street, needed refurbishment. This gave Bendigo Health an ideal opportunity to move onto stage two of the Raise the Roof appeal. But to meet the cost of refurbishing and refurnishing the units we again needed the help of our community. And what a community it is, thanks to many generous supporters the Lucan street units were refurbished and generously furnished by Jimmy Possum furniture and then became home to patients in 2007. Courtyards and Barbeque areas are needed to give patients an opportunity to talk about their experiences and cope during this difficult time. This social contact helps patients cope with personal problems and aids healing. So landscaping of the Lucan street units is planned but not yet been completed, fundraising towards the 'Raise the Roof' appeal will continue.
The future
As Bendigo Health's cancer services continue to grow, so will the need for home-like accommodation located near the Bendigo hospital. The success of the 'Raise the roof' appeal is attributed to the generosity of the Loddon Mallee community, whose support has seen this wonderful project become a reality. By donating towards The Bendigo Health Foundation, we will all continue to assist cancer patients from the Loddon Mallee region.
If you would like more information please contact us.
To make an on-line donation click here
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The Bendigo Health Foundation
