Reach Us Accommodation Project

A safe place to stay while accessing cancer treatment

For people living in regional and remote areas of the Pilbara, accessing cancer treatment can involve travelling hundreds of kilometres from home for weeks or months at a time.. Along with the physical and emotional impact of treatment, patients and their families can face the added pressure of finding suitable and affordable accommodation.

With the introduction of Telechemo Service at the Karratha Health Campus, The Reach Us Accommodation Project will provide safe, comfortable short-term accommodation for cancer patients In Karratha for clients, their families and/or carers, while travelling to Karratha for treatment.

Our aim is to create a welcoming place where patients can rest and focus on their health without the additional stress of accommodation costs.

Why is this needed?

Living in the Pilbara should never be a barrier to accessing quality cancer treatment and support. However, for many people across our region, receiving treatment means travelling hundreds of kilometres from home to Karratha, often requiring multiple overnight stays over the course of their treatment.

In addition to the physical and emotional challenges of cancer, patients and their families are faced with the financial burden of travel, meals, time away from work and accommodation. Commercial accommodation in Karratha typically costs between $200 and $450 per night, depending on availability and seasonal demand. For a patient requiring five nights of accommodation during treatment, accommodation costs alone can total between $1,000 and $2,250, before any other expenses are considered.

For many families, these costs create significant financial stress at a time when their focus should be on treatment and recovery—not worrying about where they will stay or how they will afford it.

The Reach Us Accommodation Project has been developed to help remove this barrier by providing safe, comfortable and affordable short-term accommodation for cancer patients and, where appropriate, their carers while accessing treatment in Karratha. By reducing the financial and emotional pressures associated with travelling for healthcare, the project will allow patients to focus on what matters most—their health, wellbeing and recovery.

About the accommodation

The existing property in Karratha will be progressively transformed into safe, comfortable and accessible short-term accommodation for cancer patients travelling to Karratha for treatment.

The proposed design includes three guest bedrooms, including an accessible bedroom, supported by shared living, dining and kitchen areas. An upgraded laundry and a fully accessible bathroom incorporating appropriate circulation space, grab rails, an accessible shower, toilet and hand basin are also planned

Accessibility is central to the design. Proposed improvements include wider doorways, new ramps and landings, handrails and non-slip surfaces.

The broader internal works include a new kitchen and cabinetry, updated flooring, lighting and ceiling fans, wall and ceiling repairs, electrical upgrades and improvements to the bedrooms and shared spaces. These changes are intended to create a practical, welcoming and easy-to-maintain environment for patients and carers during their stay.

The external works include an accessible driveway and parking bays, new fencing, landscaped areas, seating, turf, shade planting and a memorial garden. Together, these improvements will create a calm and supportive setting where guests can rest between appointments and treatment.

Because the project is entirely dependent on grants, donations and community support, the renovation will be delivered in stages as funding becomes available. Our current priority is the accessible bathroom, with fencing and driveway works also being considered for the next stage.

Progress So Far

While there is still much to do, we are proud of the progress already made towards creating a welcoming home away from home for Pilbara cancer patients.

Thanks to the generosity of our community and supporters, several important improvements have already been completed, including:

✅ Shed donated by Karratha Building (include photo)
✅ New air conditioning installed (include photo)
🔄 Bathroom renovation (Coming Soon)
🔄 Accessible driveway (Planned)
🔄 New fencing (Planned)
🔄 Guest accommodation opening (Future Milestone)

Every improvement brings us one step closer to opening our doors and providing much-needed accommodation for Pilbara families when they need it most.

How you can help?

There are several ways individuals, businesses and organisations can support the project:

Make a financial donation
Sponsor a stage of the renovation
Donate materials, furniture, appliances or professional services
Support a fundraising event
Share the project with your networks
Partner with Reach Us through a community grant or corporate contribution

Together, we can create a place of comfort and support for Pilbara cancer patients when they need it most.

To discuss sponsorship, donations, grants or in-kind support, please contact Stacey via email ceo@reachus-pilbara.org.au