Community fundraising covers a third of Wellness Centre’s annual costs
Kathryn Kosloff, Head of Fundraising Grampians Health Ballarat; Kelli Aggett; Josh Ryan; Simone Noelker, Wellness Centre and Pastoral Care Manager Grampians Health Ballarat.
The Wellness Warriors Dry July team have raised more than $30,000 for Grampians Health Cancer Wellness Centre, helping fund over one third of the Centre’s yearly operating costs and ensuring vital support for local cancer patients and families.
Now in its fourth year, the Wellness Ball has grown into one of Ballarat’s must-attend community events, bringing together over a hundred guests at the Ballarat & District Trotting Club in June, for an evening of live music and entertainment with special guest Billy Brownless.
Kelli Aggett, BRICC Dry July Ambassador and founder of the Wellness Ball along with her brother Joshua Ryan, said the Centre has supported her through some of life’s toughest moments.
“In 2012, when my youngest was just a few months old, I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, and four years later I faced ovarian cancer. Those were overwhelming times,” Kelli said.
“The Wellness Centre became my safe place — somewhere I could take a breath, be myself, and find support not just for me, but for my whole family. That’s why I started the Wellness Ball — to pay it forward to other cancer fighters and bring the community together to raise the funds needed to keep this Centre running. Every donation, every ticket to the Wellness Ball, ensures that families like mine can access care and comfort when they need it most.”
Based in Ballarat and its services funded entirely through local generosity, the Cancer Wellness Centre is a place where cancer patients and their families can find complementary support and emotional care whilst undergoing cancer treatment. From providing a quiet, welcoming space to offering programs that help people regain wellbeing, the Centre ensures that no one faces cancer alone.
Simone Noelker, Manager of the Wellness Centre and Pastoral Care at Grampians Health Ballarat, said this level of support shows just how strongly the community values the service.
“Every service we provide at the Wellness Centre — from emotional wellbeing to physical recovery — is only possible because of community generosity,” Ms Noelker said.
“To think that one community-driven effort has raised over a third of our yearly costs is remarkable. It means more patients and families can continue accessing the support they need, free of charge, at a time filled with so much uncertainty.”
The Wellness Ball was first held in 2021 to mark 10 years since Kelli’s diagnosis and has since become a highlight on Ballarat’s social calendar, combining auctions, raffles, great company and a strong sense of community spirit in support of local cancer care.
To learn more about supporting the Wellness Centre, visit www.bhs.org.au/foundation
