Providing connection for our guests at Greenhill Lodge

Being around people who are going through the same experience is a vital part of the support offered by Cancer Council SA.

With the opening of our new building at 202 Greenhill Road Eastwood in the New Year, we are introducing a new Connection Service to support our guests travelling to Adelaide for cancer treatment to socialise and support each other.

Having all our services and supports in one location will enable guests to interact with each other and share experiences while also being able to create long term friendships in a supportive environment with people who know what they are going through.

Cancer Council SA’s new, volunteer-led Connection Service will invite guests to come together regularly for a variety of activities and workshops across our guest lounge and activity spaces to help encourage social connection while supporting the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of our guests.

Maureen is one of our new Connection Volunteers, who is excited to help bring these activities to life and support people impacted by cancer. Something she understands all too well after losing her husband Barry to lung cancer last year. With Maureen’s experience as a nurse, she cared for Barry at home for the last few weeks of his life.

“If I had not had the support that I had from the Cancer Council SA 13 11 20 nurses, ringing me at home to check that I was okay and if I wanted any help, I could not have done it,” Maureen says.

“Barry and I had a really happy marriage, and during that marriage we bought two hotels and ran them ourselves. So, when Cancer Council’s new building was going to be opened and this role came up to be a Connection Volunteer, I felt that I had the experience from all these things that I had done with our motels and nursing. It all went together.”

“I like the idea of being with people who are going through the treatment Barry went through because I can understand what they’re going through. They’re in a new environment, away from home and going into the unknown—I want to make their life feel a little bit nicer when they’re here.”

With our new building set to open to the public in the New Year, we are so excited to start bringing this new Connection Service to our guests travelling to Adelaide for cancer treatment.

For more information about Cancer Council Greenhill Lodge click here.