Home » News » Sony Foundation opens first Melbourne-based ‘You Can’ Centre at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
News

Sony Foundation opens first Melbourne-based ‘You Can’ Centre at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

The Sony Foundation Australia today proudly announced that Melbourne’s first ‘You Can’ Centre has opened inside the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

The centre will aid around 500 young cancer patients each year.

“This age group are too often lost in the gap in healthcare,” said Sony Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sophie Ryan, who funded the centre with a $1.5 million AUD donation. “Too old for children’s hospitals yet too young for adult wards, and research demonstrates that age-appropriate care for this age group is urgently needed.

“Through You Can, Sony Foundation is building specialised youth cancer centres to provide young cancer patients with a haven within the hospital.”

Sony Australia donated a 20th anniversary PS4 to the cause late last year. It, alongside several other gaming packages — with one sponsored, in-part, by Stevivor — were auctioned off in support of the Sony Foundation and the ‘You Can’ initiative.

The new centre has four outpatient clinical consultation and interview rooms, a multi-disciplinary video conferencing and meeting room, four inpatient rooms and a six-bed chemotherapy bay, all to keep cancer patients together during their treatments. Those between the ages of 15 and 25 can access the centre.

“It’s amazing. It gives us our own place and makes us feel special,” said 23-year-old Jess Van Zeil, one of the centre’s users.

“Our new ‘You Can’ Centre exudes positivity and hope as soon as you step through the doors,” Jess continued. “It is a space that gives us a break from all the noise of day to day life and allows us to focus on ourselves and meet other young people who can understand what we are going through.”

The Sony Foundation is currently working to build additional ‘You Can’ Centres across Australia. In addition to the Melbourne centre, one has been established Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth, Western Australia, while a third centre is being constructed in the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick, NSW.


This article may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. Stevivor is an independent outlet and our journalism is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.

About the author

Steve Wright

Steve's the owner of this very site and an active games journalist nearing twenty (TWENTY!?!) years. He's a Canadian-Australian gay gaming geek, ice hockey player and fan. Husband to Matt and cat dad to Wally and Quinn.