When 74-year-old Bunbury resident Lib and his wife Rita learnt about Cancer Council WA's accommodation in Perth for regional cancer patients, they couldn't believe they hadn't heard about it earlier.
Lib and Rita share how their stay at our Crawford Lodge made a difficult time more manageable.
In May 2023, Lib Piparo went to his doctor for a regular check-up and was sent off for a blood test, followed by a biopsy. The results from a biopsy came back that he had prostate cancer.
"It came as a shock. I had absolutely no symptoms whatsoever. Then all of a sudden, I was told I had prostate cancer," Lib says.
Lib was put in contact with cancer nurses in Bunbury and a local support group that met once a month. He decided to have surgery in Perth, but at that stage he had no idea where he would be staying. It was through this support group that Lib and Rita first learnt of Crawford Lodge.
"We knew there was going to be costs involved with the surgery and staying in Perth. We stayed at Crawford for two weeks and were blown away," Lib shares.
The couple share that the Lodges not only helped to ease the financial pressure, but they also made lasting connections and friendships with others on a similar journey.
"We can't recommend the Lodges enough. It was lovely to make those connections and spend time at the morning teas and social gatherings", Rita says.
She adds, "If we had been staying in a hotel, it would have been an entirely different experience; both financially and having the support of the people around you that are going on the same difficult journey. It really made a difficult journey much more bearable. We are so grateful."
Our Crawford and Milroy Lodges are located in Perth and offer a home-away-from-home for regional cancer patients, their families and their carers while they access treatments and cancer related appointments in the metro area. Our Lodges offer comfortable, clean and safe motel-style accommodation with on-site support services.
