BALLARAT Hospice has launched a fundraising appeal to help it build a desperately-needed bigger facility.
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The hospice has been operating out of Drummond Street since 1986, but with a doubling of clientele in the past five years, has drastically outgrown its current home.
It plans to move to a yet-to-be-built facility in Sturt Street, a project that will cost $5.5 million.
Geoff Russell, Ballarat Hospice committee of management chair, said only five years ago, the organisation was caring for about 60 to 70 people at a time. That figure has now doubled to 140.
Mr Russell said it was the first time the hospice had approached the community for help, hoping to raise 20 per cent – or $1 million – of the project’s cost price.
He said surveys showed up to 80 per cent of people across the western world wanted to die at home, but only 27 per cent across the state were able to.
In Ballarat, the number of people who are able to die at home is considerably higher at 40 per cent, but Mr Russell said there was still a gap.
“We have to develop and build facilities that are going to take us through the next 25 years. We can’t do that with our current premises,” he said.
He said the hospice had bipartisan support from both sides of government, and was confident the balance of $4.5 million would be made available in state government funding in either the upcoming budget or the one after.
While he was unable to give a date for when the Sturt Street facility would open, he said he would “like to see a sod turned next year”.
“It’s the first time we’ve gone to the community to ask for financial support. We’re a service that doesn’t go out there and make a big song and dance. Our cars for instance are not identified so no-one knows it’s a hospice nurse driving along in a car; the next-door neighbours don’t know it’s a hospice car when it pulls up at a house,” he said.
“The downside with all of that is we don’t publicise ourselves and we remain a very private sort of organisation. So a lot of people don’t get to know us until they need us.”
The “Give to Help Hospice Grow” appeal will soon release details on how community members can donate.
