New wheels for the Illawarra Cancer Carers

7 July, 2020

Wollongong’s 2020 Community Group of the Year, the Illawarra Cancer Carers will take delivery today (July 7) of a new $40,000 van - thanks to the generosity of the i98FM Illawarra Convoy and its donors.

The Ford Transit van will help transport mobility scooters and wheelchairs to Illawarra patients and also support the market stall fundraisers. Part of the ICC’s service to Illawarra cancer patients includes low cost hire of mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs and stair Lifters. “We have a small fleet of scooters and wheelchairs, and lease them to patients for one dollar per year plus a small service fee’” long standing ICC member Keith Wilson said. “We also have some mobility aids available. Many of these get donated to the Illawarra Cancer Carers, and some are purchased with money raised by our various fundraising activities throughout the year.” Illawarra Cancer Carers was formed in 1990, with the volunteer driven organisation celebrating 30 years of service to Illawarra cancer patients this year. Its mission is to provide essential physical resources, emotional and research support in order to obtain a better caring environment for cancer patients in the Illawarra.

The organization has 200 unpaid volunteers and works from the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre at Wollongong Hospital in a donated room with 100 per cent of funds raised by the group spent within the Illawarra.

The Illawarra Cancer Carers volunteers help raise funds at various events across the Illawarra, including the Banquet at the Beach and the annual Glitz and Glamour Ball. Carers also run sewing, craft groups and market stalls, transporting sewing and craft items to different locations across the Illawarra. The ICC has generously donated over $4.4 million for local cancer research and cancer treatment and continues to support cancer patients with a range of services, including patient transport, in hospital patient care and a lymphoedema clinic.

Convoy manager Mark Rigby said: “The Illawarra Cancer Carers do amazing work within the community for cancer patients, and local hospitals. We are happy to support them with this new vehicle.”

This isn’t the first time Convoy have assisted the Illawarra Cancer Carers this year. The group also received a $54,000 donation to operate its patient transport program earlier in the year.

ICC President Geoff Failes said: “Like the Convoy, Cancer Carers rely on the support of many volunteers to achieve their mission: To provide essential physical resources, emotional and research support to obtain a better caring environment for cancer patients in the Illawarra.”“We’re all volunteers here, with a passion for helping others who are in difficult situations.” If you share that passion too, and would like to get involved, information and contact numbers can be found on the http://illawarracancercarers.org.au/ website.

Funding information for groups and charities who work with patients with potentially life threatening medical conditions is available on the www.illawarraconvoy.com.au website.