Foundation funds critical medical equipment for oncology services

The Peter's Project Foundation donated $138,000 to the hospital in the last financial year, funding critical medical equipment for oncology and palliative care services.

Items funded through the foundation included a tissue/vessel sealing unit for endoscopy ($20,494.00), a nerve monitoring device for ear nose and throat surgery ($70,000.00), and a specialised patient bed with a pressure relieving mattress for palliative care ($29,844.68).

The donation also funded support person pull-out beds for palliative care ($10,170.00), enabling families to stay close to their loved ones during critical times.

St John of God clinical director Leanne McPherson said hospital staff were grateful for the donations and the impact they had on oncology services.

"We are immensely grateful to Peter's Project Foundation for their continued support and generous donations," she said.

"Their contributions have been instrumental in advancing our medical capabilities and ensuring that our patients receive the best possible care. This partnership is a shining example of how community support can make a real difference in healthcare services."

Warrnambool's Vicki Jellie started Peter's Project after losing her husband Peter to cancer in 2008.

She was driven by the difficulties regional people faced in accessing cancer treatment facilities and saw the need for a state-of-the-art facility for cancer patients in south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia.

It was a dream that took seven years of hard work and community collaboration to be realised.

And Peter's Project has not lost momentum in the years since, with $250,000 distributed to health services in the last financial year alone.

That included the funds received by St John of God, as well as South West Healthcare ($30,000), South West Regional Cancer Centre ($50,000), South West Healthcare ($30,000) Warrnambool and District Community Hospice ($10,000), Terang-Mortlake Health Services ($7344), Myloma Australia ($6000) and the Leila Rose Foundation ($5000).

Mrs Jellie said the project was very proud to assist the region and contribute funds that benefited so many.

"So many people in the community raised funds for us back in 2013/14 when we did have that community fundraiser and it's important that we continue to do this - it's the legacy of what we started back when the Peter's Project really started," she said.

"It's been 16 years since it really started when my husband passed away so a lot has happened and we are really grateful to the community."

Mrs Jellie said she never could have imagined Peter's Project would be where it was today.

"We didn't know back then if we would achieve getting a cancer centre in the south-west, for the entire region, because there are a lot of ups and downs working with state and federal governments," she said.

"But the whole community worked hard to stand up and speak up and we were very fortunate for that. It's something this whole region can be proud of and can continue to be proud of."