"You have a brain tumour the size of an apple. You need emergency surgery in Brisbane now".

Along with the fear of his life being at risk, other worries raced through Jacob's mind 'I need to get to Brisbane urgently and where am I going to stay?'

Please help us to raise $350,000, so we can help ease the financial and emotional strain on those like Jacob who need a home away from home during the toughest moments of their lives.

At just 21 Jacob's life changed forever. First a diagnosis of cancer, then the realisation that both he and his mum would have to give up work to be in Brisbane - 1,000km away from their home town of Clermont - while enduring months of radiation and chemotherapy to treat Jacob's brain tumour.

This is why we have three accommodation lodges in Brisbane, Rockhampton and Townsville and two new lodges opening in Cairns and Toowoomba by the end of 2011 so we can provide free accommodation to cancer patients who are forced to live away from home.

Every day, our lodges cost thousands of dollars to run. Please help us reach our goal of raising $350,000 to go towards the running of these lodges.

Jacob had been quietly suffering from migraines for nearly five years, which were getting worse. His mum Donna insisted he get it checked out, and much to their shock, scans revealed a very large mass at the base of his brain.

The doctors told him ‘you've got a tumour the size of an apple and you need surgery in Brisbane now'.

It would be two more long weeks of not knowing, before the doctors could actually confirm what they had feared— Jacob had cancer.

 

Because of the generous donations from people like you, we were able to provide Jacob and his mum Donna a room at our lodge, solving one important problem for Jacob's family during this devastating time.

Unfortunately twelve months on from his initial surgery, Jacob suffered large swelling and leakage from his brain and needed to return to Brisbane for another round of frightening surgery.

From this further shocking knock-back, again the challenge arose – where would they stay?

'Thankfully when we phoned the lodge they were able to accommodate us for the second time —it was just amazing.'

Being diagnosed with cancer is life-changing; being without a place to stay during cancer treatment is devastating.

Please make a donation today, so those like Jacob can call our lodge home and ease one of the many burdens associated with a cancer diagnosis.

Alternatively, you can call us on 1300 663 936 to make a donation over the phone.