We are ready –but we need you with us. Your donation will help us purchase a new digital PET/CT scanner— a vital piece of equipment that gives patients answers faster, so they can begin treatment sooner. 1 VICTORIAN EVERY 15 MINUTES WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER
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4JUNE GIVING DAY
We are ready –but we need you with us.
Your donation will help us purchase a new digital PET/CT scanner— a vital piece of equipment that gives patients answers faster, so they can begin treatment sooner.
4JUNE GIVING DAY
Cabrini Health has continued to pioneer female-focused mental health programs in 2025, by introducing the first ADHD and Autism assessment centre specifically for women.
As the first women-only mental health facility in Australia, Cabrini’s Lisa Thurin Women’s Health Centre in Elsternwick offers gendersensitive, acute care for conditions such as PTSD, burn-out, mood disorders and addiction.
The centre has treated more than 1200 patients since opening in 2021 and Sharon Sherwood, Cabrini’s Chief of Mental Health, said approximately 50% of patients have either been diagnosed with or are seeking assessment for ADHD or Autism.
“The demand for ADHD and Autism assessments has remained high since COVID as more symptoms became apparent due to a sustained period of less socialisation, structure and routine,” Ms Sherwood said.
In response, Cabrini recently launched a popular 10-week community day program focused on supporting women with understanding their neurotype and using a strengths-based approach to build strategies to use in daily life. Now, thanks to the generosity of a Cabrini Foundation donor family, Cabrini Women’s Mental Health is achieving another Australian-first as it becomes the only femalefocused ADHD and Autism assessment centre.
Founding Medical Director of Cabrini Women’s Mental Health, Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM, said: “There is a strong correlation between mental health conditions, early life trauma and neurodivergence in women. However, alarmingly, women struggle to receive an integrated diagnosis and appropriate treatment. They often don’t know how or where to find the right treatment and we aim to help change that,” she said.
Cabrini Health continues to lead the way in creating female-focused mental health programs and this next step in becoming an ADHD and Autism assessment centre, means it can now support neurodivergent patients through their entire journey from diagnosis to ongoing treatment, via its tailored inpatient and outpatient programs.
Like so many others, Peter’s diagnosis of Stage 3 prostate cancer came as a complete shock. He was supposed to be building a home with his new wife and preparing for his daughter’s wedding – not facing surgery and a six-month recovery.
“I thought I had the flu,” says Peter. “But then my doctor found a large lump, and the biopsy showed it was really aggressive. That was disconcerting. How do I tackle this? Do I need to make a Will?”
Thankfully, Peter regained his strength and life returned to normal. But when his PSA levels started to climb a few years later, a PET scan was ordered to investigate further.
That PET scan detected a hidden tumour in his prostate – a tumour that may have been missed. As a result, Peter was able to receive fast, targeted treatment.
“They were able to radiate it and prevent it from spreading. And it actually worked. They got rid of it. So, for me, personally, it’s lifesaving. It’s just crucial to give yourself more time. And the more time you have, the better.”
As one of only two fully integrated cancer services in Victoria, our current analogue PET scanner operates at capacity with 18 scans per day. Needless to say, securing a nextgeneration digital PET/CT scanner will be a game-changer on many levels:
1. Faster scans
Scan times will reduce from 15 minutes to 6 minutes, allowing up to 25 patients to receive a scan daily.
2. Detects the invisible
Advanced technology can pick up lesions as tiny as 2-4mm that older scans would have missed.
3. Greater accuracy
Sharper, clearer imaging acquired in one rapid sweep provides more detailed information and accurate diagnoses.
4. Safer for patients
Uses less radioactive tracer while delivering better patient outcomes.
Peter’s urologist, Associate Professor Daniel Moon, says this new scanner will allow our entire team of urologists, oncologists, neurologists, and surgeons, to diagnose patients faster and with greater accuracy so they can begin treatment sooner.
“This next-generation scanner is fantastic,” says A/Prof Moon. “It will give us a better understanding of the extent of their disease, and it means we’re less likely to miss cancer elsewhere. It’s finding things earlier, when they’re smaller.”
Like Peter, Sophia’s world was ‘rocked to the core’ when she discovered she had inherited a BRCA2 gene mutation that significantly increased her risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. At the time, her baby was just eight months old.
“It took the wind out of me. I didn’t know if I was going to be around to raise my child. And all the dreams you have for your life suddenly become very shakey.”
A few years later, Sophia was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her treatment plan was intense, including a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, 12 months of Herceptin medication, as well as a hysterectomy to prevent ovarian cancer.
What got her through was the compassionate care from the entire Cabrini team.
“The care was amazing,” she says. “You can’t fault it. From the first appointment with the breast care nurses to the admin staff greeting you with a smile, having the same faces and knowing who was on my team made a big difference.”
Sophia was one of 106 Victorians who are diagnosed with cancer every day. And while our incredible team are fully prepared to meet the growing demand for cancer care, staying ahead means having the latest equipment and technology.
If you’d like to help us bring this nextgeneration PET/CT scanner to Cabrini, please donate today. Your support will ensure everyone who walks through our doors continues to get the very best care, when they need it.
$50 $100
“This scholarship has been a life-changing experience, and I look forward to applying the knowledge and skills I have gained to continuously improve the quality of palliative care at Cabrini. Thank you once again for this opportunity, and for the support that has made this journey possible.”
“I want to express my gratitude to the Cabrini donors for making it possible for me to undertake this postgraduate study. The learning process has been invaluable, influencing both my professional practice and personal growth. I look forward to applying my enhanced skills in cardiac nursing, adhering to the highest standards of care, and supporting my colleagues. I genuinely appreciate the trust placed in me and will continue to strive for excellence in every facet of patient care.”
Your support of Cabrini’s Scholarships Program helps Cabrini’s care team expand their expertise and enhance patient care. Because investing in our people means better patient outcomes.
in providing world-class healthcare
THANK YOU for your generous support of our appeal in support of Cabrini’s Healthcare Professionals Scholarships Program.
With your help, we raised over $40,000 to provide our healthcare team opportunities to improve their knowledge, pursue their passions and deliver world-class healthcare to every patient in need.
“Providing scholarships and investing in ongoing training and education is a practical way to show our nurses and healthcare professionals how much we value them and their work.”
Sue Williams Chief Executive Cabrini Health
From cutting-edge equipment for the Intensive Care ward and professional development for our dedicated nurses, to advancing medical oncology research trials and funding new anaesthetic patient monitors, thank you once again for your kindness and commitment to improving health outcomes for everyone at Cabrini.
Our community rallied to support the purchase of a new MOSES laser for urology patients.
Thanks to thoughtful donors such as yourself, we have been able to purchase this new technology, and it has already been put to good use.
The new state-of-the-art laser is helping our team of urologists provide more precise, effective and safer treatments for patients.
With their shared passion for music and life, Roger and Julie Leeming’s world was a vivid kaleidoscope of theatre and entertainment. From the UK to Australia, Roger was engaging, a skilled performer and the central player in their 40 year marriage.
Until Roger began to lose his battle with an asbestos-related disease he developed processing specialist glass in the late 1960s.
“When we came to Cabrini’s Palliative and Supportive Care unit, he heard a music therapist playing guitar and he started singing the duet ‘If I Loved You’ together with her. The nurses who cared for Roger were wonderful, responsive and encouraged him to stay true to who he was right to the very end,” shared Julie. “The last time he came in to the Emergency Department, Roger simply referred to himself to staff as a ‘frequent flyer’. On the night before he passed, he gathered all the staff and ran a quiz - his final role as leading man.”
Always generous in their support of many charities, Julie was determined to give back to Cabrini, in gratitude for the compassionate care Roger received.
Head of Occupational Therapy and Manager of Social Work, Cabrini Allied Health, Courtney Agland said:
“We are very grateful for this generous donation in memory of Roger, enabling us to provide Harp Therapy to our palliative care patients. This type of therapy uses the unique properties of the harp to bring comfort, healing, and peace to individuals. Our patients and their families have fed back how the harp therapy has benefited them emotionally, aided with pain relief, improved sleep, promoted relaxation and supported their spiritual wellbeing.”
Inextricably linked in music, life, love and philanthropy; the music will play on at Cabrini in your memory Roger.
Cabrini Research is shedding light on the importance of consumer feedback in clinical trials, with the launch of a new Research Participant Perception Survey.
Research Quality Manager, Dianne Biermann, says “the anonymous survey will identify common patterns leading to opportunities for improvement that might otherwise be missed.”
The Cabrini Research Consumer and Community Involvement Committee comprises volunteers with lived experience as patients and research participants who meet quarterly. This committee provides invaluable perspective on the survey data to help ensure that participating in research and clinical trials are positive experiences for participants.
“Committee members are very interested in patient feedback to ensure clinical research projects are working optimally for study participants,” said Dianne.
Cabrini Research is also encouraging clinical researchers to involve consumers throughout the research journey from project development through to dissemination of results. This is being reinforced via recent Cabrini Foundation research grants, where preference is given to projects that actively engage with consumers.
Donor funded research projects ensure Cabrini can achieve breakthroughs in the areas of cancer, cardiovascular, mental health, critical care medicine, leading to significant improvements in how we deliver healthcare in the modern age.
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