Southern Cancer Care is embarking on an important new project for our local community – the development of a dedicated Sutherland Wellness Centre on the grounds of The Sutherland Hospital.

The Southern Cancer Care Sutherland Wellness Centre will provide a welcoming place where people affected by cancer can access supportive care, wellness programs and services designed to complement their medical treatment and support their wellbeing throughout and beyond cancer.

Creating a new place of support

The Sutherland Wellness Centre will be created through the redevelopment of the existing Chapel on the grounds of The Sutherland Hospital.

Built by the Rotary Clubs of the Sutherland Shire between 1976 and 1978, the Chapel has provided a place of peace and tranquillity for patients, families, staff and visitors for many years.

With the hospital now providing dedicated multi-faith and prayer facilities, there is an opportunity for this special building to begin a new chapter.

Southern Cancer Care plans to transform the Chapel into a welcoming wellness centre for people affected by cancer across the Sutherland Shire.

Rotary is supportive of the Chapel being repurposed for this new use.

Why a wellness centre?

Cancer care extends beyond diagnosis and medical treatment.

People living with cancer may also need support with the physical, emotional and practical effects of cancer and its treatment, as well as support as they move into recovery and survivorship.

The 2022 Australian white paper Integrative Oncology and Wellness Centres in Cancer Care highlighted the growing importance of person-centred care and the role wellness centres can play in complementing conventional cancer treatment.

The Southern Cancer Care Sutherland Wellness Centre aims to bring this approach closer to home for people in the Sutherland Shire.

What could the wellness centre provide?

Planning for the Centre is underway and the final mix of programs and services has not yet been determined.

Potential areas of support being explored include:

• physical health and wellbeing
• emotional wellbeing and support
• survivorship support
• nutrition and healthy living
• creative and therapeutic programs
• information, connection and practical support for patients, carers and families.

Southern Cancer Care is establishing a Sutherland Wellness Centre Advisory Committee to help guide the development of the Centre and ensure its design, programs and services reflect the needs of the community it will serve.

Transforming the Chapel

Before the doors can open, significant work needs to be done.

The existing building requires structural and remedial works as well as upgrades to meet current accessibility and building requirements.

Plans include an accessible bathroom, new kitchen facilities, refreshed interiors, new flooring and painting, along with improvements to the surrounding garden.

Our aim is to create somewhere that feels distinctly different from a clinical environment – a comfortable, welcoming space where people can connect, participate in programs or simply take some time away from the demands of cancer treatment.

Building on a long history of community support

Southern Cancer Care and its related charity, the Prostate Cancer Institute, have a long history of delivering projects that improve cancer care within the St George and Sutherland community.

Since 2002, five major building projects have been completed, including additional clinical and research facilities and the major refurbishment of the ground floor and atrium of the Cancer Care Centre at St George Hospital.

The wellness centre represents the next chapter in that story.

Once again, we want to work with our local community to create something that will make a lasting difference for people affected by cancer.

Help us build the Southern Cancer Care Sutherland Wellness Centre

Bringing the Sutherland Wellness Centre to life will require the support of our community.

Every contribution will help us move closer to transforming the Chapel into a dedicated place of care, connection and wellbeing for local people affected by cancer.

Whether you choose to make a donation, support the project as a business or community organisation, or help us spread the word, you can be part of making this vision a reality.

Help us build a new place of support for people affected by cancer in the Sutherland Shire.