What do you get when you put a bunch of ladies, some sewing machines and a few choice expletives together?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A very generous donation to the Cowra Hospital Oncology Unit.
Owner of Cowra’s The Quilter’s Coop, Michelle McNaught, has raised $600 for the Cowra Cancer Action Group, which will go directly towards equipment and services for cancer patients within the Cowra Health Service.
Michelle and more than 30 other women raised the money at an annual retreat held in Binalong.
“This year we decided we would do a raffle, and because the oncology unit is close to my heart at the moment, we decided that we would like the money to go to there,” she said.
“Everyone makes the same quilt... they come along and we eat too much, drink too much and sew all weekend.
“It is a lot of fun, but this is the first time we thought we would run a raffle.”
Michelle, who is going through treatment for cancer herself, said Cowra Hospital has the best facilities for cancer patients in the area.
“I’ve been involved with four oncology units now, Dubbo, Wagga, Orange, big centres, Cowra’s got everything,” she said.
“I’m so grateful it’s here in Cowra, I basically drive down the hill, have treatment and go back home.
“If we didn’t have this, it would just be horrible, with patients having to travel to Orange weekly, and for some people daily, it would be horrible.”
Cowra Cancer Action Group President Barbara Newham thanked Michelle for her kind donation and said any funds raised go directly towards helping patients in Cowra.
More than $300,000 has been spent by the group in the past nine years to refurbish Cowra’s oncology ward and to assist the holistic needs of patients, such as physiotherapy, women’s health and palliative care.
“We couldn’t do it without the community,” Barbara said.
“Nearly everybody is touched with cancer in one way or another and I think that community members find it very gratifying to be able to provide what’s happening up here.”
The group is busy preparing for their biggest fundraiser of the year, their annual Christmas lunch, and praised the Cowra Services Club and artist Glen and Anne Morton for their continued support.
“This will be our 13th annual luncheon and it would be lovely to see 300 people, that’s our aim,” she said.
Michelle thanked the Cowra Cancer Action Group for all their work.
“I’m very grateful that they do all their hard work,” she said.
Michelle would also like to thank Natalie Crook, Chrissy Hamer from Relish, Nicole Tidswell from Eye Spy Beauty, Peggy Bear from Shoes 4 U and Di Browne for their donations towards the raffle.
