Some wonderful news for your Friday.
Anam Cara House Geelong has been awarded $2.19m by the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund to complete our new home at Deakin University, Waurn Ponds.
The funding will allow the New Anam Cara to be completed with certainty. The funding will allow the completion of 8 end of life and overnight palliative respite bedrooms, all with ensuites, taking the total bedrooms in the new facility to 20. In addition, the funding will deliver a commercial kitchen, a library and further landscaping. Our new home will also provide day respite care for up to 20 guests each day.
Our new, state-of-the-art hospice facility will meet future end-of-life care and palliative respite needs of our growing region for decades to come.
Diana Taylor, Chair of Anam Cara House Geelong said “On behalf of everyone at Anam Cara House Geelong, we are enormously grateful for the ongoing and significant support of the Australian Government for the new Anam Cara at Deakin University, Waurn Ponds. This funding support and facility will be life changing for the people of Geelong. The Australian Government understands this outcome and the needs of our community.
Senator The Hon. Sarah Henderson has personally stepped beside us since 2015 on this vision for Geelong with the Australian Government’s initial $5m contribution to start the project. Senator Henderson’s deep understanding of the importance of this form of palliative respite and end-of-life care, and her constant support, has been instrumental in getting our new hospice for Geelong fully funded and open to the community in 2022”.
Our partnership with Deakin University allows for full integration with Deakin’s School of Medicine and Faculty of Health, allowing Deakin students and staff direct access to education, bedside learning, and research opportunities. Deakin has generously provided us with 2.0 ha of land.
Diana Taylor
Board Chair
