30 May 2018
Today, the Dry July Foundation announces a partnership with five of Australia’s biggest cancer charities, coinciding with its 10th anniversary celebrations. The partnerships, with cancer charities based across the country, strengthen Dry July’s core purpose of supporting people affected by cancer.
The beneficiaries will receive donations from the fundraising activities of Dry July participants, which sees Australians go alcohol free for the month of July. Founded in 2008, the charity has raised over $30 million in the last 10 years and has helped fund over 1,000 projects, including 198 facility upgrades, 179 therapy and wellness programs, wig libraries and chemotherapy scalp cooling machines.
In 2018, the new partners are The Leukaemia Foundation and Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, which join Look Good Feel Better, Cancer Council NSW and Cancer Council WA as new major benefactors. Dry July participants can sign up to the challenge and select one of these charities as the main recipient of their Dry July fundraising.
The charities will receive donations to help fund projects to improve the lives of people living with cancer.
The projects being funded are:
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia - supporting Australian men with life changing assistance from a Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse, who are there to help patients with any health and emotional challenges during (and after) their treatment. Dry July funding will mean that more men and their families get expert nursing support on their prostate cancer journey.
Leukaemia Foundation - helping more than 750 families from regional Australia by providing free accommodation in capital cities, for people living with blood cancer during their treatment. Dry July funding will ensure the Leukaemia Foundation accommodation facilities across the country are comfortable and a homely place for patients, while also providing all the specialised care they need.
Look Good Feel Better - funding workshops dedicated to teaching cancer patients how to manage the appearance-related side-effects caused by cancer treatment, empowering them to face their cancer with confidence. Dry July funding supports the delivery of 300 patient workshops nationally.
Cancer Council NSW – Dry July will contribute towards the purchase and installation of new air conditioning units and sun shades at the Lilier Lodge patient accommodation in Wagga Wagga. Lilier Lodge provided over 6000 nights of accommodation for cancer patients in the local community in the past year, and hot summers and cool winters mean the air con units are well-loved and in need of an upgrade.
Cancer Council WA - Dry July funding will go towards the 13 11 20 support line service for the WA community. A confidential cancer information and support phone line run by experienced Cancer Nurses connecting WA to resources and services.
Dry July CEO, Brett MacDonald said "Reaching our 10th anniversary is an incredible milestone, we've helped fund many important projects over the years, and now by partnering with five of the biggest cancer charities in Australia, we can do even more to make the lives of cancer patients and their families a little more comfortable during a difficult time."
Malcolm Freame, Chief Operating Officer from Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia said: "Dry July's fundraising will help PCFA to get closer to our goal of ensuring that every man affected by prostate cancer has access to expert support from a Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurse. With 20,000 men diagnosed each year, this would require 110 nurses. Currently there are just 45 nurses for all of Australia. Expert nursing support is life-changing and we're grateful to Dry July for enabling our nurses to be there for more men at the most difficult time in their lives."
To donate or sign-up to Dry July and be a 2018 fundraiser, visit the Dry July website, registrations are now open - www.dryjuly.com/register
About Dry July
When you're diagnosed with cancer, it's hard to find the time or energy to think about anything other than treatment. The Dry July Foundation exists to help improve this experience. Dry July challenges Australians to go booze-free for the month of July to raise funds to reduce stress and add a bit of comfort for those affected by cancer. Since its inception, Dry July has raised more than $30 million to fund 75+ cancer support organisations working to improve patient care and wellbeing. Some of the projects we've funded to date:
- New chemotherapy treatment chairs
- New patient accommodation and transport vehicles
- Upgraded waiting areas
- Refurbished gardens and balconies
- New TVs, WiFi internet connections, laptops and iPads
- Music and art therapy programs
- Patient journals and wig libraries
- New kitchenettes and beverage machines
