Charlotte Varcoe
MOUNT Gambier cancer advocates Deeanne Carmody and Scott Collins did their bit in opening the new multi-million dollar Greenhill Lodge facility this week.
Greenhill Lodge now supports 120 rooms for regional South Australians travelling to Adelaide for cancer treatment and is designed to accommodate people with a variety of cancer needs and disability access options.
It will also include support services, free counselling from trained professionals, prevention programs and a behavioural research team.
Ms Carmody said being involved with the opening of the facility was an honour after her son, Scott, used the previous Greenhill Lodge during his own battle with cancer.
“Scott, his wife and children as well as myself were invited to the opening because we have done a lot of fundraising and work promoting the lodge,” Ms Carmody said.
“Scott is quite well known there and they think very deeply of him and during the opening he told his story of having to travel and fight cancer.”
Ms Carmody said the new facility was amazing for regional cancer patients and thanked all staff for being there to support herself and her son during what she said was their darkest days.
“We don’t have a complete cancer centre here in Mount Gambier because we don’t have radiation and although having chemotherapy available here is one thing, it was radiation that we needed to travel for,” she said.
“Staying at Greenhill Lodge also took the fear out of cancer because having to travel isn’t ideal but at least by staying there, we were comfortable.”
Seeing the new facility for herself, Ms Carmody said she was impressed with the extra facilities available such as libraries, community halls and exercise rooms.
“The new Greenhill Lodge is amazing and has everything we need,” she said.
“It is the only building of its kind in Australia and is a home-star building with a beautiful home-like stay.”
For those needing to travel for cancer treatment from the Limestone Coast, Ms Carmody said Greenhill Lodge would remain as her number one suggestion.
“It is more comfortable now than previously and the staff are all so supportive,” she said.
“Country people should keep supporting the facility because I have seen both sides and if we ever need those services again then we will be going back to Greenhill Lodge.”
She said leading up to the day she was not expecting to hear the number of stories which she said “came straight from the heart” .
“Greenhill Lodge is a needed facility and I know we are fighting for radiation therapy here in Mount Gambier at the moment but until we get that, this is state of the art,” Ms Carmody said.
“It was a very special day and if any of our community people unfortunately get cancer and have to go away for treatment, it is so important to know they are going to be okay and well looked after there.”
