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We offer free practical support and assistance for people affected by cancer and their families and friends:
- Have a Cancer Society liaison nurse visit you at home
- Is your cancer causing financial hardship?
- Do you need help getting to your cancer treatment?
- Do you need someone to act on your behalf?
- Free accommodation for radiotherapy and chemotherapy patients
- Support in your local area
- Join your local support group
- Women's Cancer Support Group
- Women with cancer – do you want to look good and feel better?
- Learn more about living with cancer at our free course
Cancer Society liaison nurses
If you are newly diagnosed and/or receiving treatment for cancer you can receive regular support in your home from a Cancer Society liaison nurse. The nurse will:
- Provide you with information about managing physical symptoms
- Offer emotional support
- Liaise with other service providers on your behalf
You can request this service for yourself or on behalf of someone else but please get permission from that person before contacting us.
This service is not available in all areas so please contact us to see if a Cancer Society liaison nurse is available in your area and to make an appointment.
Is your cancer causing you financial difficulties?
We can assist people with cancer and their families in financial hardship when no other help is available. A grant can assist with transport costs, household expenses, special equipment, accommodation for treatment away from home, counselling services and other essential needs. All applications are dealt with on an individual basis and are supplementary to services provided by government agencies.
To find out if you qualify for this service or for more information please contact us.
Do you need help getting to your treatment?
Within Hamilton City
Volunteer drivers are available to transport people with cancer living in Hamilton to and from treatment or specialist appointments at their local hospital. There is no charge for this service. For more information please contact Michelle Peat, volunteer driver coordinator, ph 07 838 8899 extn 23413.
Tauranga to Waikato Hospital daily shuttle
A shuttle bus departs daily to transport patients, family and caregivers to the Waikato Hospital from the Tauranga Hospital, 375 Cameron Road. There is no charge for this service if you are receiving treatment and are a community services cardholder.
Please contact the Tauranga office to make arrangements.
Rotorua/Taupo/Tokoroa to Waikato Hospital daily shuttle
A shuttle bus departs every week day to transport patients, family and caregivers to the Waikato Hospital from your home in Rotorua, Taupo or Tokoroa. There is no charge for this door to door service if you are receiving treatment and are a community services cardholder.
To make arrangements, please contact, Jim ph: 0276 433 348.
Other areas to Waikato Hospital
Transport to the Regional Cancer Centre at Waikato Hospital may also be available in some other areas.
Please contact us to see if a transport service is available in your area.
Do you need patient advocacy?
We can act on behalf of a person with cancer to help resolve difficulties or anxieties they may have about their treatment options. This is a free service.
Please contact us to discuss your concerns.
Free accommodation for radiotherapy and chemotherapy patients
The Cancer Society’s Lions Cancer Lodge is a home away from home, providing free accommodation and a wide range of facilities and support for out-of-town cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment at the Regional Cancer Centre, Waikato Hospital.
Residents are independent and have the choice of maintaining their privacy or taking advantage of the supportive environment generated by other residents. The Lodge offers a relaxed style of accommodation with single and shared rooms, some with ensuite facilities. Many residents maintain their regular hobbies or activities while staying at the Lions Cancer Lodge. A coin operated phone and mail service enables families and friends to keep in regular contact with you.
To find our everything you need to know about staying at the Lions Cancer Lodge and for information about accommodation for your support people.
Map of the Lions Cancer Lodge location.
Local Support
If you live too far away to visit one of our offices in Hamilton, Tauranga or Rotorua we can still help you. In many smaller centres of the region we have trained volunteer area representatives who can provide you with information, answer your questions and find support services for you.
CAMBRIDGE Jean Horan (07) 827 3863
HUNTLY Contact
KATIKATI Joan Corlett (07) 549 0394
MATAMATA Contact Hamilton office (07) 838 2027
MANGAKINO Gwen Bucknell (07) 882 8704
MORRINSVILLE Ngaire Ander (07) 889 6283
MT MAUNGANUI Joan Stewart (07) 575 3562
MURUPARA Shona Pederson (07) 366 4722
OPOTIKI Jeanne Beattie (07) 315 7636
OTOROHANGA Barbara McPhee (07) 873 8411
PAEROA Lesley Young (07) 862 8502
(07) 862 8609/886 Wk
PIO PIO Kaye Nelson (07) 877 7840
RAGLAN Contact
ROTORUA Contact Rotorua Office (07) 349 4556
TAUMARUNUI Joan Gillespie (07) 895 8888
Linda Smith (07) 895 6935
TAUPO Joan Frost (07) 372 8381
Jacky Gartner (07) 378 6960
TAURANGA Contact Tauranga office (07) 571 2035 Wk
TE AROHA Gladys Coombe (07) 884 8127
TE AWAMUTU Marguerite Warnock (07) 871 4118
TE KAUWHATA Contact Hamilton office (07) 838 2027
TE KUITI Mary Macnaughtan (07) 878 7910
TE PUKE Jennifer Vanstone (07) 573 9312
TOKOROA Vicki Ray (07) 886 4358
WAIHI Harold Knight (07) 863 6726
WHAKATANE Charlotte McGougan (07) 312 9107
WHITIANGA Jenny Edwards (07) 866 5975 Wk
Join a support group in your area
Need some emotional and practical support? You can join a support group for people with cancer and their families. These groups meet regularly in different locations throughout the region, providing a safe enviroment so you can share real issues, concerns and emotions about your cancer with people who understand. Support group members are people of all ages, from different backgrounds and cultures and have different types of cancer. Family and close friends are welcome too.
Please contact us to find your nearest support group.
Women's Cancer Support Group
The Women's Cancer Support Group provides practical and emotional support for women newly diagnosed or undergoing treatment for all types of cancer.
They will organise a trained support visitor, who has recovered from treatment for cancer, to visit you either at home or in the hospital to share their practical advice and understanding.
Please contact the Women's Cancer Support Group representative for your area or your nearest Cancer Society office:
Cambridge Jenny Kain 07 827 6887
Hamilton Hamilton Office 07 838 2027
Rotorua Rotorua Office 07 349 4556
Tauranga Tauranga office 07 571 2035
Whangamata Jill Stapler 07 865 7054
Tairua Debbie Obern 07 864 8823
Te Awamutu Pat Gillard 07 870 2081
Otorohonga Betty Lupton 07 873 7350
Taumarunui Sharlene Donelly 07 895 8882
Look Good…Feel Better
If you’re being treated for cancer you may be facing changes to your physical appearance. Look Good...Feel Better can help restore your lost confidence and damaged self-esteem!
During a two-hour workshop, you will be shown how to cope with the physical side effects of your treatment by trained cosmetic volunteers. They will take you through a step-by-step skincare regime and give you advice on how to apply cosmetics to camouflage the loss of eyebrows, eyelashes, dry flaking skin and pigmentation changes. A professional demonstration of wigs and turbans is also presented at every workshop.
Look Good….Feel Better is a registered charity providing a free nationwide service designed to improve the quality of life for cancer patients. The Cosmetic, Toiletry & Fragrances Association of New Zealand donate over $1.5 million worth of products annually for the workshops.
Workshops are held regularly in Hamilton, Rotorua and Tauranga – to see when the next workshop is in your area or contact the following coordinators today to enrol:
Hamilton - Judi Vickers, judivickers@cancersociety.org.nz , 07 838 2027
Tauranga - tauranga@cancersociety.org.nz, 07 571 2035
Rotorua - rotorua@cancersociety.org.nz, 07 349 4556
Living with Cancer
This is your opportunity to learn more about cancer and how to live with it. Living with Cancer is a free educational and informational course for people with cancer and their families and close friends.
Each session is designed to meet the unique needs of the group members and to help you to:
- Identify skills to bring quality back to your life
- Get the most out of the time with your specialist
- Learn to cope with the side effects of treatment
- Build self-confidence, self-help and relaxation skills
- Get advice about a range of topics such as diet, exercise, accessing community resources and how family and friends can help
Expert guest speakers including oncology nurses, clinical dietitians, physiotherapists, WINZ representatives and palliative care professionals will give presentations - encouraging discussion and answering your specific questions.
Programmes run regularly in Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua and Taupo – find out when the next course starts in your area or contact us today to enrol - bookings are essential.
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