Cancer Society’s Lions Lodge: A healing spot that needs community support this March

Hailey Jenner's brain tumour diagnosis meant weeks of treatment while staying at the Cancer Society's Lions Lodge.

For Hailey Jenner, a 38-year-old barber and mother of two from Taupō, the sudden discovery of a brain tumour meant surgery followed by weeks of radiation treatment at Waikato Hospital.

Facing hours of daily travel time coupled with the stress of her condition, Jenner was gearing herself up for a battle.

“I had to leave work because I couldn’t focus and I was getting dizzy. I couldn’t drive. Then after surgery, I couldn’t even lift a vacuum cleaner up,” Jenner said.

Jenner was put in touch with the Cancer Society’s Lions Lodge in Hamilton, a free ‘home away from home’ for people receiving cancer treatment at Waikato Hospital.

The Lodge provides shuttles to and from the hospital, all meals and access to support groups with an experienced nurse, and is free for cancer patients and their support person.

Jenner said one of the biggest benefits of the Lodge was connecting with the other guests, who wereon a similar journey.

“It’s a healing spot. You meet a lot of people and you heal each other, from sharing stories. We’re all on different paths of life then we all come together and just make each other feel good.”

The Lodge, which has supported over 1800 guests in the past financial year, was experiencing a steep increase in demand but relied on support from the community to run.

The Cancer Society’s annual event, Relay For Life, was one way the public could contribute.

“Relay For Life is our second largest fundraiser after Daffodil Day and the funds we raise are crucial to cover the operating costs of the lodge and our other services in the region,” fundraising event specialist Van Kilburn said.

“It’s also a fantastic event for the whole family. We will have live music, food trucks, family entertainment and this year we are also opening up the stage for the public to perform. We are looking forward to another great day for the community to come together and make a difference.”

This year, relay participants were being encouraged to raise $500 to cover a person’s complete overnight stay at the lodge including additional support services such as therapeutic massage and access to counselling.

The relay was also a special experience for people with cancer and it was a moment that Jenner would be using to celebrate her journey so far.

“I was with my family at the lodge and we saw Relay and we were like ‘right, we’re doing it.’ I want to walk in there and see everybody smile and see the joy in all the survivors. Staying here at the lodge makes you reflect on a lot of things. It’s pushed me to want to go out and help other people,” Jenner said.

Relay For Life is on Saturday, March 16 at Claudelands Event Centre, Hamilton. Registration to participate in the relay is $25 per person or spectators can pay a $5 entry fee at the gate.

All proceeds support the Cancer Society Waikato/Bay of Plenty.

Register a team at relayforlife.org.nz/o/waikato-relay

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