Gold Coast Hospital Foundation and Griffith Rotary have joined forces for Dry July to fundraise for a scalp cooling system that prevents chemotherapy patients from losing their hair during their cancer treatment.
Local GP Liz Fitzmaurice was fortunate enough to have access to the system during her chemotherapy due to her private insurance.
She wants all Gold Coasters to have access to this same system if they are faced with chemotherapy.
Help us reach our Dry July goal! You can still donate in the month of August – support our team here.
Melinda’s Dry July after bout with chemo
Gold Coast Health administration officer and cancer survivor Melinda Warden is one member of a 20-strong, record-breaking Gold Coast Hospital Foundation team raising funds for Dry July.
The annual challenge to give up alcohol, or another vice, to fight cancer is a vital fundraiser for the Foundation. This year the Foundation has partnered with Griffith University Rotary to fundraise for a scalp cooling system that prevents hair loss for chemotherapy patients.
Melinda has worked on the front reception desk for Childrens Inpatients since GCUH opened and said it is the best job she has had in her varied career.
“Where else do you get kisses blown to you as your ‘client’ leaves?” she said.
Melinda has signed up to Dry July because she has just been through chemotherapy and was surprised with her emotional struggle with her changing identity.
“My cancer was quite a surprise – I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Lymphoma but I hadn’t felt poorly and all my levels were fine, it was just that my face kept swelling and I convinced my doctor to take my lymph node,” she said.
“I had researched everything and knew what to expect medically throughout my chemo, but, what I wasn’t prepared for was when I looked in the mirror it felt like a different person looking back at me.”
Melinda knows her cancer may come back and said not losing her hair again would be life-changing.
“For anyone going through chemotherapy and facing losing their hair, to not have to have that emotional struggle that I went through would be amazing.”
Help Melinda and our amazing Gold Coast Health and Gold Coast Hospital Foundation Dry July members fight cancer this month. There is still time to help us reach our goal!
