The Cancer Wellness Centre is designed as a welcoming retreat for patients and carers. It has comfortable couches and chairs, television, fireplace, kids play area, reading material and kitchen facilities where patients and visitors can make a cup of coffee, heat up their lunch or relax. Patients and families are welcome to use the centre before, during and after appointments.
Complementary therapies are used alongside conventional cancer treatment to help manage the symptoms and side effects of cancer. These include oncology massage, shiatsu therapy, yoga, meditation, and art therapy. There is increasing evidence that complementary therapies are valuable in reducing some cancer symptoms and treatment side effects such as fatigue, nausea and stress.
Due to high demand, oncology massage, shiatsu and acupuncture have a limit of five sessions. Other programs can be more frequent. Please discuss with the therapist.
Wellness programs are free of charge.
Our Wellness Programs are available to support all cancer patients within the Ballarat and Grampians region regardless of place of treatment.
Due to high demand, individual therapies are for patients only. However, carers and family can attend the group programs and information sessions such as mindfulness, art therapy, coping with cancer etc.
The Wellness Centre is open from Monday to Thursday 9.00am-4.00pm.
The Wellness Centre is located at 1 Drummond Street North, Ballarat. Enter via the Sturt Street entrance of the Ballarat Base Hospital and go through the double glass doors on the right.
Wellness Centre programs do require you to book in for an appointment. However, you can drop into the Wellness Centre to use its facilities, such as the kitchen or lounge, at any time during opening hours.
The Wellness Centre does not receive ongoing government funding. We rely on the generosity of community partnerships, support from the general public and fundraising events.