Charity looking for shacks to gift holidays to people with breast cancer

A charity which offers retreats free of charge to people with breast cancer is looking for Tasmanian shack owners to open their hearts and homes.

Mandy Mitchell fundraising and even co-ordinator with Rain Millar booking co-ordinator of The Otis Foundation. They are in Tasmania hoping to seek out properties to be used as a retreat for those suffering from breast cancer and their families for respite. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

TASMANIANS are being asked to open their hearts - and their holiday houses - to people with breast cancer.

A national charity is on the lookout for its first Tasmanian hideaway, to add to its network of retreats that it offers to anyone facing the challenge of breast cancer.

The OTIS Foundation has retreat accommodation in every state, except Tasmania, which it borrows from owners to offer to sufferers and their families at no cost.

The Foundation’s bookings co-ordinator Rain Millar said the charity wanted to establish relationships with property owners in southern Tasmania to support any Tasmanian diagnosed with breast cancer.

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“We’ve had inquiries from Tasmanians before, but the closest retreat is in Victoria – there is nothing for them close to home,” Ms Millar said.

She said accommodation was ideally about an hour or two from a person’s home.

“If you are undergoing chemotherapy, you probably don’t want to fly somewhere and you’d prefer to be not too far from home.”

The majority of OTIS properties are donated by individuals who provide access to holiday homes or second properties for periods throughout the year when it would otherwise sit vacant.

Ms Millar said some people donated access to their holiday homes during the off-season for six months a year, or set aside a long weekend once a month. But she said any amount of time would be appreciated.

Today is World Cancer Day. The message is that #WeCanICan all make a difference to people with cancer.
The OTIS Team say #wecan support those with breast cancer by by providing breast cancer retreats at no cost. pic.twitter.com/7hwaEx12Nn

— The OTIS Foundation (@OtisRetreats) 3 February 2018

OTIS events coordinator Mandy Mitchell said the retreats were not only for those facing breast cancer, but their families.

“The retreats don’t just benefit the person with breast cancer, but the other family members,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Sometimes these are some of their last happy memories with their families.”

Last financial year the charity, which was established in Victoria 15 years ago, was able to offer stays to over 800 families across

On average one in eight Tasmanian women will face a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. 

To find out more about The Otis Foundation, visit otisfoundation.org.au or phone its office to discuss offering time at a property on [phone]

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