1. health and fitness
2. disease
3. cancer

ILLAWARRA CANCER CARERS
PO BOX 1659
WOLLONGONG 2500
PRESIDENT
SECRETARY
TREASURER
WARD CO-ORDINATOR
CENTRE CO-ORDINATOR
CARERS' OFFICE
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
ABN 46 419 129 574
Ian Mackay
Audrey Walsh
David Berry
Judy Mackay
Leslie Adie
Phone (02) 4271 5989
Phone (02) 4229 8872
Phone (02) 4271 3376
Phone (02) 4271 5989
Phone (02) 4228 8865
4222 5565
Kelly Mathein
Phone (02) 4295 7477
www.illawarracancercarers.org.au
NEWSLETTER  MARCH 2015
MARCH OPEN MEETING
Don't forget that we have our first Open
Meeting for 2015 at 10 am in the Sonata
Room, on Tuesday, 17 March at the Master
Builders Club, Church Street, Wollongong.
Sian Greening, the Genetic Counsellor from
Wollongong Hospital will come to talk to us
and expects to bring her Power Point program
(one that will display diagrams further
explaining her work with genetics). I have
heard Sian talk previously and she is most
interesting.
SEWING AND CRAFT DAYS
The sewing ladies hold sewing days every
Friday in the month; a stall also takes place on
the last Friday of the month.
So please come along! Our sewing times are
9am to 3pm (stall is open 10am- 1pm) and we
have plenty of undercover parking space.
If you would like to take part in our Craft and
Sewing days at the Dapto Show Ground
location the details are as follows….
Time: 9am- 3pm
Location: Dapto Show Grounds
Open Meeting Date
Tuesday 17th March 2015
EMAIL ADDRESSES
Would anyone who changes his/her email
address please notify Audrey Walsh at:
jawalsh1@optusnet.com.au
and if you are receiving our monthly newsletter
by email also notify Kelly Mathien at
encrypt@exemail.com.au
so that our records can be updated.
Sometimes we wish to notify all Carers who
have an email address of certain happenings
that have arrived on our desk too late for the
Newsletter.
Please bring your own lunch and something
for morning tea. Coffee and tea is free.
 Jean Fleming on 4261 3115
March Sewing Dates
Friday 6th March 2015
Friday 13th March 2015
Friday 20th March 2015
Friday 27th March 2015
INC
Page 2 - MARCH 2015 ILLAWARRA CANCER CARERS INC
WARD AND CENTRE NEWS
MARKET STALL TAKINGS
Some reminders….
Hi all,
We are now using the Apheresis room on
level 1 in the centre. Could you please see if
the patients would like anything to eat or drink
while you are on duty? Also, please offer Fran
(the nurse) tea/ coffee etc. As she cannot leave
her patient.
Recently the following amount was banked…
$304.40 for the Hospital Stall for February.
On C7, all Carers must move away from the
patient when their doctor attends to talk to
them. Carers can return as soon as the Doctor
has finished.
Carers in the Centre could you please check to
see if the patients having radiotherapy and the
patients in the clinic would like anything while
they are waiting.
It is mandatory that when giving a patient a
massage on the bed (C7) that both sides of the
bed rails are raised. This prevents accidents
when the bed is raised.
INFECTION CONTROL GUIDELINES
1. Small PRE-PACKAGED packets ONLY.
No homemade or loose packet biscuits.
2. Real milk for milkshakes and tea/coffee
can be found in the locked beverage bay.
3. Sandwiches are to be left in Cellophane
wrap. -“DO NOT OPEN OR CUT AND
MIX UP.”
4. Hands MUST BE WASHED with PINK
hand wash on trolley BEFORE and
AFTER approaching each patient.
5. Lunches /Desserts / Juices are to be taken
out on our trolley with serviettes / spoons /
straws and disposable cups.
6. Patients are to choose from the variety of
lunch and we hand it to them.
7. AFTER WASHING HANDS ... we may
assist patients to open all packages,
DO NOT TOUCH THEIR CONTENTS.
Thank you all for your dedication to the
patients.
 Judy Mackay 4271 5989 (Ward)
 Leslie Adie 4228 8865 (Centre)
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
FOR JANUARY
Income and Expenditure for January 2015
Income
Donations
Patient Transport
Market Day Stalls
Christmas Gift Wrapping
Memberships
Bus Hire Income
Expenditure
Driving Patients (Net)
Lymphoedema
Ribbonwood
Biscuits
$2,379
$505
$111
$3,956
$10
$130
$1,605
$1,136
$102
POLO SHIRTS
We are endeavouring to obtain more large
size polo shirts as our stocks are getting low.
The current style of men's polo shirts is not
now available so we are endeavouring to
obtain something as close as possible to the
current style. We will let you know when this
has been finalised.
ILLAWARRA CANCER CARERS
2015 BANQUET AT THE
BEACH
“AUSTRALIANA”
The date for this year's banquet is Sunday
June 21st @ City Beach Function Centre.
The theme is 'Australiana' and tickets/tables
are available for purchase by contacting me by
email ( kerry.denison@outlook.com ) or by
phoning 0417227904.
Tickets are $95 per person (tables of ten) and
corporate tables are $1650 (ten people) which
includes advertisement in the booklet, table
sign and audio visual display on the day.
MARCH 2015 – Page 3
BUNNINGS BBQs
The Carers coordinator for Bunnings
barbecues, Geoff Failes needs your help..
Bunnings has offered us two sausage sizzles
in March- the first on Sunday March 1 at its
Wollongong store and the second on Sunday,
March 29 at its Shellharbour store.
Geoff needs at least three people for each of
three shifts at both barbecues.
The shift times are:
9.00 am -11.30 am
11.30 am – 2.00 pm
2.00 pm – 4.00 pm
If you can help, please phone Geoff ASAP.
We are also in need of people to spend a
couple of hours selling raffle tickets at venues
throughout the Illawarra between late
February and the Banquet.
Our new raffle coordinator is Bailey Bond and
he can be contacted on 0414 554 157.
 Geoff Failes 4271 5226 or
 0438715226 (Mobile)
BUNNINGS BBQ DATES
Sunday 1st March 2015- W’Gong
Sunday 29th March 2015- Shellharbour
MANDATORY TRAINING
Some Carers have been asking about the
Mandatory Training that the hospital conducts
each year. As you are aware, the training was
withdrawn for the last training session last
year. To date we do not have any information
about the training program for 2015.
BUS TRIPS
Elenor and Marie have organised a trip to
Retford Park gardens in Bowral.
Kerry Denison (Banquet Chairperson)
Email address for Carers business:
kerry.dension@outlook.com
 0417 227 904 (mobile)
Bailey Bond (Banquet Raffle co-ordinator)
 0414 554 157
The property is owned by Mr. James Fairfax
and these gardens are only opened twice a
year.
Cost: $10 + entrance fee (all funds to local
charity)
 Elenor 4228 7637
 Marie 4274 1801
Retford Park Bus Trip Date
Saturday March 2015
Page 4 - MARCH 2015 ILLAWARRA CANCER CARERS INC
“GREAT JOB SOPHIE
ADAMSON”…
I would like to pass on my thanks for a job SO
well done to Sophie Adamson for organising
the gift wrap stalls. It's a thankless job and she
does it with such grace and appreciation.
VOLUNTEER DRIVERS
Jim Walsh is presently updating the insurance
policies details of our current drivers.
All drivers will receive a form to fill in and are
asked to return it to Jim at the address listed
below.
40 McGrath St Fairy Meadow 2519
or by e-mail
jawalsh1@optusnet.com.au
Many thanks indeed.
LATE BLOOMERS
Dates for Late Bloomers luncheons for 2015 at
the Wollongong Golf Club. All ladies welcome
at 11.30 am. You don't need to book, just roll
up and enjoy the friendship of other members.
Late Bloomer Luncheon Dates 2015
Monday, 20 April 2015
Monday, 6 July 2015
Monday, 19 October 2015
Wednesday, 16 December 2015
SILVER JUBILEE
CELEBRATION
Thank you to Keith Wilson who has
volunteered to organise a function to celebrate
our Silver Jubilee later in the year. You will be
informed of the details in plenty of time to
enter the dates in your diary so as many
Carers as possible can attend.
Please contact the Driver Co-ordinators and if
phone call is unanswered PLEASE leave a
message!
 Carers Mobile 0438 864 289
 Jill Wilson 0418 692 961
Relief Co-ordinator
 Margaret Gobert 0407 921 352
Alternatively you can email to
carerstransport@gmail.com
A NOTE OF THANKS
I have seen some of you wonderful people in
action and all I can say is - Yes! There are
angles here on earth!!
My wonderful family gave me a beautiful 70th
Birthday Party.
I asked for no presents, just a donation!
So here it is and I hope it will help in some
small way.
May God Bless you all
Many, many thanks
MARCH 2015 – Page 5
ILLAWARRA CANCER CARERS
WOLLONGONG HOSPITAL 'THANK YOU' MORNING TEA
On Tuesday 24 February a number of
Illawarra Cancer Carers and other volunteers
who assist Wollongong Hospital were invited
to a morning tea. This is an annual event that
the executive at the Hospital hold each year to
thank the volunteers for their help.
Nicole Sheppard, General Manager, thanked
those present for all the assistance that the
volunteers give both in the care of the patients
and the financial assistance. All those present
were given tickets towards a draw for several
prizes. A couple of our Carers were amongst
the winners.
Included in the goodies for morning tea there
was a very large cake that a volunteer from
each group assisted in cutting.
We thank the executive at the hospital for a
very enjoyable morning when we not only
enjoyed the refreshments but were also able
to enjoy each other’s company.
A MESSAGE FROM THE
CANCER PATIENT SUPPORT
GROUP ILLAWARRA.
As you may know, Jean Barrett is moving from
Wollongong to Armidale and we must now find
a way of taking over tasks she has undertaken
as our secretary/treasurer and editor of the
monthly newsletter. A support group's chief
function is bringing people together so cancer
survivors and their carers can meet and talk,
but
the
administrative
structure
and
organization this central activity requires is
laborious and time consuming for a sick and
ageing group of people, so we are greatly in
need of extra volunteer help. Work which
Jean has carried on her shoulders so
effectively and for so long must now be done
by others.
We need a treasurer to take charge of our
finances and we also need some secretarial
help. We also require someone to take on the
responsibility of writing our monthly newsletter,
so people know the dates and times of group
meetings and activities. We are really hoping
a volunteer, or volunteers can come forward to
help with some of this and join our
management committee. I'm very much afraid
that if we cannot reduce the workload or find
others to share it, the support group itself may
not be able to continue. This would be very
sad indeed, but there is a limit to what the
individuals on the present management
committee are able to undertake.
President, Cancer Patient Support Group,
Illawarra
Please contact Dorothy Jones if you can help
in the areas highlighted. Dorothy will be
happy to discuss the work involved with you.
 4228 7823
or
if
you
prefer
djones@uow.edu.au
email
Dorothy:
Page 6 - MARCH 2015 ILLAWARRA CANCER CARERS INC
LYMPHOEDEMA SUPPORT
CLINIC NEWS
The Lymphoedema Clinic dates for March
2015 are the 6th & 20th of the month. Clinics
are held some Fridays at the Ribbonwood
Centre, Dapto.
Appointments 9.30am to 12.30pm.
There are no charges, but please note:
The clinic does not diagnose or treat
intensively. Patients needing complex physical
therapy are referred to their doctors and
hospital or private lymphoedema practitioners
of their own choice.
Feel free to call in on any clinic days appointments for treatments need to be
booked ahead, though.
March Clinic dates
Friday 6th March 2015
Friday 20th March 2015
For appointments or information, please feel free
to contact me on:
 0423 135 342 (mobile)
 4256 5019 or
jlagha2@live.com.au. (e-mail)
Jenny Armstrong Co-ordinator
THE DATES FOR CRAFT
STALLS AT WOLLONGONG
HOSPITAL FOR 2015
NEXT: Wednesday 8th April 2015
Wednesday 10th June 2015
Wednesday 12th August 2015
Wednesday 14th October 2015
Wednesday 9th December 2015
Location: Level 2 (Reception) of the Cancer
Care CENTRE.
If anyone has any cooking could you please
bring it to Level 2 at the Cancer Care Centre.
Goods for the hospital stall should be dropped
at the Centre by Tuesday 7th April, at the latest.
Should you have problems getting these to the
Centre or questions about the Market Stalls
please call…
We asked for permission to have a stall at the
hospital entrance off Loftus Street, but were
denied. When renovations have been
completed our request will be reviewed.
 Lynne Henson 4284 7399
Our sincere sympathy to those Carers
who have lost a dear one recently.
We send our warm wishes to any member
who is or has been sick and also to those
Carers who have family members who are
not well at the moment. We wish you all a
speedy recovery back to good health.
Note: The Illawarra Cancer Carers respects the
privacy of all its members. No personal details of
individual members will be used for any purpose
other than that for which they are held, ie the
operation of the organisation. No person’s personal
details will be provided to any other party without
express approval of that individual.
GIFT WRAPPING PICTURES
2015