The difference you’ll make

Three women, two with glasses and white caps, one young girl, sitting on a brick porch. The young girl holds a framed photo of a smiling woman outdoors in a field. The woman on the right has pink hair, tattoos on her chest, and wears a floral blouse. The woman on the left wears a black shirt. They are all looking at the camera.

About Can Assist

We’re here for one simple reason: to make sure everyone across country NSW can access cancer treatment and care, no matter where they live. We believe no one should miss out on care because of their postcode. But distance makes everything harder — from getting diagnosed, to travelling for treatment, to finding the strength to recover.

That’s where Can Assist steps in. We’re a volunteer‑based charity, raising funds within our local communities to support our own - providing practical help, financial relief and a caring hand to country cancer patients and their families when they need it most. We also shine a light on the extra challenges cancer brings in the country. Your fundraising will also assist to spread the word about Can Assist.

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Group of elderly women standing together outdoors, smiling, with a yellow canopy tent promoting Canassist in the background.

Why your support matters

For people facing cancer in rural and regional NSW, we see how a diagnosis means more than treatment. It means long drives to appointments, time away from family, and rising costs that can overwhelm families before care even begins.

  • 1 in 2 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer

  • Many country patients can travel an average of 170 kilometres each way just for radiotherapy.

  • With fuel prices climbing, out of pocket costs can reach thousands of dollars every month.

That’s where we come in. When you take on this walking challenge, you help us bridge that gap - so patients can focus on their health, not how they’ll afford the journey.

 
 

The impact so far

 

From Your Steps to Local Support

When you donate to Can Do the Distance, your money goes directly to a Can Assist Branch, so you are assisting cancer patients in that local community. Because needs are different from town to town, your fundraising will help ease whatever costs are creating stress. Here's where your donation makes a difference:

 

Travel & Accommodation
Cancer treatment often means repeated trips to a city. Your donation helps cover the cost of travel and accommodation for country patients who have no choice but to make that journey.

Assistance
Medical bills and essential equipment We help ease the fear and stress that come with mounting medical and pharmaceutical costs, offering financial support so country cancer patients don’t have to choose between their treatment and everyday living while facing the fight of their lives.

Financial Assistance
A cancer diagnosis doesn't pause everyday life. Mortgage payments, utility bills, and household costs keep coming. Can Assist provides direct financial support to families struggling to keep up so they can continue their treatment.