Achieving health outcomes for the community, with the community
Following the establishment of Mildura Health Icon Cancer Centre, it is essential we provide patients from outlying areas with easily accessible patient accommodation, walking distance to the 13th Street Health Precinct.
Mildura Health Foundation has been established to raise funds through donations and grants, to build and operate 10 self-contained apartments. The aim is to raise $3 million dollars.
The patient accommodation supports our vision for Mildura to become the healthcare hub for cancer treatment and for regional people to have access to cancer care closer to home.
Our Board of Directors
Terry Hill
Chair - Volunteer Position
Terry Hill is the Chair of Mildura Health Foundation and has also served as the Chair of Mildura Health for more than 20 years. Terry has been a member of the Private Hospital Committee since 2000 and is a member of the Building Committee that administered the successful construction of the Mildura Health Icon Cancer Centre. Terry has a wide range of business and community interests in both Mildura and Wentworth.
I have always been a passionate advocate for the region and a supporter of people and initiatives that help the area to reach its potential. Mildura Health has been considering establishing a Foundation for more than 5 years and to see it come to fruition is an important part of our community improving health outcomes. Patient accommodation in Mildura has been a vision of mine given the length of stay required by patients receiving radiation treatment. I have experienced prostate cancer first hand where I had to travel to Melbourne for continuous treatment and fully understand the impact on lives of such an upheaval. I completed a road trip two years ago visiting Warrnambool, Ballarat and Albury to determine the requirements for a world class accommodation facility. The learnings from this trip have been incorporated into the concept designs. My vision for Mildura Health Foundation is to complete the patient accommodation and then continue to provide leadership in funding from within our region for much needed facilities and equipment.
Greg Hutchison
Deputy Chair - Volunteer Position
Greg Hutchison is a Director of Mildura Health Foundation. He is a local business man who has been extensively involved in the irrigation, wine and horticultural industries. Greg has also had experience on local Boards in the fields of education, health and manufacturing industries.
As we all know, Mildura as a region, is isolated by distance from other regional centres and capital cities. This isolation has historically caused many problems for people of our region and none more imperative than the availability of health care and associated services.
I believe that the Mildura region deserves the best possible health care and also the relevant facilities to fulfil these requirements. Like so many of us, I have supported friends and family forced to travel great distances to access life saving cancer treatment and care. Cancer treatment is difficult enough without the financial stress, employment concerns and often extended isolation this travel causes, not only for patients but also their families and carers.
I was recently privileged to be directly involved in the administration of the construction of the Mildura Health ICON Cancer Centre. Following the successful completion of this project it was obvious that a state of the art accommodation facility would also be required. Together these two facilities will be of great advantage to those persons seeking cancer treatment and furthermore these facilities will also attract much needed medical professionals to our region.
Mildura Health Fund always puts it’s members first whilst focusing on a future model of care for our region. I am proud to be a Board member of Mildura Health Foundation that will make this accommodation facility a reality for our region.
Amanda Phillips
Director - Volunteer Position
Amanda Phillips is a volunteer director of the Mildura Health Foundation. Amanda is a Company Director (GAICD), Chartered Accountant and Consultant and is a Board Director for several organisations. She has extensive experience working with organisations from multiple industries and disciplines, for government and not for profit organisations. As Non-Executive Director Amanda brings broad business, finance, risk, audit and governance experience.
The importance of providing health care as near as possible to home is well understood in our community. Significant contributions were made by many to bring the radiation centre to Mildura. Now, through the Foundation we are well underway to further support our region by ensuring there is accommodation for people who need it, when they need it most.
No one is untouched by health challenges. We all know someone or have ourselves, needed travel away from home, family, work and put life on hold to receive medical care. I have seen firsthand what a stressful time this is, and the price paid, financially and emotionally, not only to the person needing care but also their family and community.
Growing up outside of Robinvale I understand the travel people in our wider community face to receive health care. For many this means hours driving to the unfamiliar, worrying about what lies ahead, and what has been left behind. I am relieved we will be able to help by providing safe, comfortable and secure accommodation to this community. The importance of the accommodation being walking distance to the Mildura Health Icon Cancer Centre and in a familiar regional setting cannot be underestimated.
Having lived and worked in a major capital city and overseas before returning home to the district, I can confidently say that working with the Foundation, to give back to this wonderful local community is a privilege. In sharing my personal and professional skills with the Foundation I am committed to the successful construction of the Centre and its long-term integrity and sustainability.
Rod Markwell
Director - Volunteer Position
Rod Markwell (GAICD) is a Director of Mildura Health Foundation. Rod has an extensive and successful business career throughout Sunraysia and the Riverland of S.A. and has worked on many local boards fostering progress throughout the region and supporting the local community. Rod is currently Managing Director of Outback Mildura and Your Fleet Pty Ltd Heading
After having a very successful 30 plus year business career, I was shocked to learn of my personal cancer diagnosis in early 2019.
Although today I am happy, healthy and very well, it was a particularly challenging period of my life where I got to experience firsthand the struggles for rural people in dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
In my particular case it meant travelling to Melbourne for many, many weeks to receive treatment and this was particularly unsettling being so far from home and loved ones.
The cancer diagnosis for many rural people is very daunting in itself, but the ongoing travel to large cities to seek treatment causes much stress and anxiety.
Thankfully, following the successful opening of the Mildura Health ICON Cancer Centre along with the next phase of patient accommodation, many rural patients can receive high level cancer treatment throughout this region without the need to go to a major capital city.
I am passionate about assisting people in a very positive way on their cancer journeys and by becoming involved with the Mildura Health Foundation I feel I can offer some insights into the road that lies ahead for many people.
It is very important to me that people in regional areas such as ours have access to the very best medical and accommodation facilities ensuring that they feel confident, settled and content and close to loved ones as their journey to recovery begins.
Karen Woolfe
Director - Volunteer Position
Karen Woolfe is a Director on the Mildura Health Foundation. Karen is a retired Nurse, Midwife and Hospital Administrator with the last 29 years of her employment at Mildura Health Private Hospital.
Why have you volunteered to be on the Board of Mildura Health Foundation?
While no longer working in the healthcare environment the passion for caring remains after evolving from 47 years as a Nurse, Midwife and Hospital Administrator.
With the last 19 years spent as the Director of Nursing at Mildura Health Private Hospital I was privileged to be involved in the initial conversations with ICON leading to the establishment of the Mildura Health ICON Cancer Centre.
No one knows when a cancer diagnosis will be thrust upon them, as personally experiencing within my own family, therefore having the required services locally is why I have volunteered my time and experience to the Mildura Health Foundation.
The next phase of providing cancer care locally is the building of patient accommodation to home patients and their families and carers during their radiation treatments. This is opposed to travelling to the cities for treatments and the associated stressors/costs of finding accommodation, travel and isolation.
Being involved with many families during my clinical and administrative work forms part of my contribution to the Mildura Health Foundation as my passion to expand cancer care services will benefit a significant number in this and surrounding communities both now and into the future.
Cheryl Rix
Corporate Secretary - Volunteer Position
Cheryl Rix (GAICD) is the Corporate Secretary of Mildura Health Foundation. Cheryl has had more than 25 years experience as an Executive, Corporate Secretary and Company Director. Cheryl is the Chief Governance Officer and Corporate Secretary for Mildura Health.
Vision
Mission
Values
- The Foundation makes a positive difference to the community.
- The Foundation is accountable.
- The Foundation through its actions is fair and professional.
Who are we?
The principle purpose is to "acquire, construct maintain and/or operate facilities for the provision of affordable temporary accommodation on a non-profit basis, for patients being treated at the Mildura Health Icon Cancer Centre."
