Otis Foundation Retreats
It is based in Victoria but has a number of retreats in other states too.
They are popular so you may need to be patient /flexible.
Just Google “ Otis Foundation” for the website.
If you have your own holiday house or don’t need this kind of help , you could consider a donation ( either in cash ur kind).
Comments
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I stayed at the Thredbo one a few years ago with my hubby, my brother & his wife & we had a ball.
Definitely consider contacting them for available properties & dates ......2 -
It's a wonderful organisation. My husband and I stayed in an amazing apartment on the Sunshine Coast in 2020 after my chemo treatment and lockdown. Was the best mini break after such a difficult time. Well worth registering for this.3
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See below0
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Such wonderful recognition of his good work in starting off OTIS - such an amazing group of philanthropic people, making their holiday homes available to us at no fee xx
Sadly, only those with subscriptions can see the article @iserbrown ... but if you can see the whole article, could you save it as a pdf & then possibly post it here? xx
Keep an eye on Otis Facebook page, as other retreats are available now & then there that are not put onto the Web Page (specially retreats in Vic!)
https://www.facebook.com/TheOtisFoundation
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Copy and paste from the Bendigo Advertiser......
The legacy of Judy Burley will forever live on in the hearts of many Australians diagnosed with breast cancer.
Founder of the Otis Foundation, Ms Burley's husband Dr Andrew Barling, has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the health field.
Dr Barling founded the organisation in 2000 in honour of his late wife, fulfilling her vision of providing those living with breast cancer with retreat style accommodation.
KING'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS:
He said he was incredibly proud of what the foundation had achieved over the past 23 years.
"It's a legacy for my wife and honouring her vision, but it quickly grew well beyond Bendigo and is now a national organisation, but based in Bendigo," he said.
"For it to have grown from that very initial seed has been just fantastic to watch.
"We weren't able to have kids, so it's just a fitting tribute and legacy that she's been able to leave behind, and I've just been part of the vehicle that's delivered on that."
Forever a cancer research and treatment advocate, Dr Barling was chairperson of Relay for Life Bendigo raising money for Cancer Council, and director of the Breast Cancer Network Australia, an organisation through which he met his current wife Mary.
He has worked as a thoracic and general surgeon at Bendigo Health, St John of God Hospital Bendigo, Eastern Health and Western Health.
MORE NEWS:
"It gives me a lot of pride to be part of the team at Bendigo Health and at St. John of God in delivering cancer services to the people of Loddon Mallee," he said.
"Even though I now live in Melbourne, I still come up to Bendigo a couple of days a week because I just love working up in a regional centre.
"The people in the country are just lovely to work with, they're so appreciative of any care they're provided, but equally very proud of the fact that the care that they get in Bendigo is equal, if not not better to anything that would be offered in metropolitan areas."
The foundation catered for 740 guests including 340 stays during the 2021/2022 financial year.
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Here is the write up on Andrew Barling's OAM on the Otis Website:
https://www.otisfoundation.org.au/news/157/dr-andrew-barling-awarded-oam
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Bringing this to the front so that newbies can hopefully arrange a stay3
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Just bumping this one to the top again ..... after you have finished your 'active treatment' (Surgery, chemo, radiation) you can apply to the Otis Foundation for a holiday/break in your state. (Prior to Covid, you could travel interstate ... but this hasn't been reinstated yet.)
A wonderful initiative (started in Vic, who has 14 retreats) and 1-3 available in other states (sometimes, there are more than 'shown' ...) where wonderful philanthropic people with Holiday Homes make them available to those recovering from BC surgery/treatment (usually not during school holidays.)
You can take as many family/friends as the number of beds allows! Just take your clothes and food!! Everything else is included, free of charge.
https://www.otisfoundation.org.au/directory
There is usually a bit of a wait list, sometimes many months - so get in early ..... and you too, could enjoy a wonderful break, to help with your healing & recovery.
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The Otis foundation is also registered on the Victorian recycling cans / bottle scheme if anyone is wanting to make donation to this wonderful charity. I have saved a few cans / bottles just waiting til I can pop down the street to make my first donation.4
