Care That Kept Our Family Together
When Alexandra local Chris Flannery was told he had stage four melanoma, life changed overnight. What began as a routine mole removal quickly turned into major surgery and two years of ongoing treatment. Through it all, one thing made a world of difference, being able to receive most of his cancer care at Dunstan Hospital.
“I was lucky in the beginning,” says Chris. “I had private medical insurance through work, so things moved fast. I didn’t have to wait in a queue.” His early surgeries and treatments took place in Dunedin under oncologist Dr Chris Jackson, “one of the best in the world,” he says.
But when his private funding ended, Chris’s treatment continued publicly under Dr Jackson’s supervision, and that’s when Dunstan Hospital became his main base for care. “I was on a treatment called Keytruda for two years three-weekly immunology treatments and over a year of that was here at Dunstan with Carmen and her team.”
Being able to stay close to home, he says, made an enormous difference. “It’s massive. I’m only five minutes away, so I can drive in, have treatment, get home, and rest on my own couch. If I had to go to Dunedin every three weeks, that would mean a full day on the road, staying somewhere, extra costs and it’s exhausting. This way, my wife can keep working, and we don’t have that financial and emotional stress on top of everything else.”
Chris describes Dunstan’s staff as “an amazing bunch of ladies,” many of whom he already knew through the community. “You’ve got familiar faces here, people who care and go the extra mile. It’s got that locals’ feel about it. You’re not just another number in a big hospital queue.”
During his treatment, life continued as normally as possible for his family. “When I was first diagnosed, our kids were still at school. They still had their sports, their routines. Having my treatment close to home meant we could keep the family unit together. I could be there for them, keep an eye on how they were coping, and stay involved in their lives. That was huge.”
Golf also became part of Chris’s healing journey. “It’s my drug of choice,” he laughs. “I played before my diagnosis, but it’s been a lifeline ever since.” Out of that came an idea to give back. “We started a fundraising golf day right in the middle of Covid, it was massive. Everyone was ready to get out again, and we raised around $80,000 in the first year, then $60,000 the next. It just made sense to donate half of that to Dunstan Hospital. Everyone in this region has a Dunstan story, they were born here, had surgery here, or know someone who’s been cared for here.”
For Chris, the fundraiser is about more than saying thanks, it’s about paying it forward. “Supporting Dunstan isn’t just about patients like me. It’s about making sure the next generation has the same chance to have their care close to home. You’ve got to use it or you lose it.”
He’s seen firsthand how important that local care is. “Having my cancer treatment here has made a massive difference to my healing. It’s saved time, reduced stress, and let our family keep living our lives. Dunstan has been a lifeline for us.”
Help Keep Care Close to Home
Through the Dunstan Hospital Foundation, community donations help patients like Chris receive lifesaving treatment close to where they live. Your support funds improved facilities, specialist services, and the technology that makes world-class care possible in our region.
By giving locally, you’re helping families stay together through treatment and ensuring Dunstan Hospital remains a pillar of rural healthcare for generations to come.
Donate today.