Chris OโBrien Lifehouse is a not-for-profit, comprehensive cancer hospital. From screening to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and wellness, we specialise in advanced care for patients with cancer, including the most rare and complex cases. Each year we treat over 57,000 patients from across Australia, using the latest technology in a modern, purpose-built hospital.
Chris OโBrien was a man of leadership, vision and courage. He inspired people, both through his work as a cancer specialist and through his own three-year battle with an aggressive brain tumour. Chris transformed his personal adversity into a national opportunity, using his experience to fight so much harder for cancer patients and their families. Chrisโ vision was for an integrated cancer treatment centre, where patients will no longer have to navigate their way through all the different elements of dealing with their illness alone. His vision was realised with the opening of Chris OโBrien Lifehouse to patients on 19 November 2013.
At Chris OโBrien Lifehouse our patients are firmly at the centre of everything we do. We provide a full range of services to ensure our patients receive all the cancer care they need in a single facility: this includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation oncology, research, supportive care and evidence-based complementary therapies including acupuncture, mindfulness, reflexology, massage and exercise physiology. This enables us to develop a holistic treatment program to meet each patientโs individual circumstances. In recent research a comprehensive cancer hospital environment has been shown to improve patient outcomes from 5 to 15 per cent.
Our patients and their carers can have confidence that they are receiving the best care possible and also benefit from the convenience and continuity of being cared for by the same team of specialists in a single location, which helps to reduce travel time and stress.
Specialisation and research
Our patients are treated by multidisciplinary teams including surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, psychologists and researchers, all who are able to provide peer-reviewed, tailored, personalised treatment. Patient care is also underpinned by a thriving research program that ensures we can provide the latest approaches to cancer prevention, care and treatment.
Chris OโBrien Lifehouse is the largest cancer clinical trial centre in New South Wales, giving our patients access to some of the worldโs newest lifesaving drugs and breakthroughs. Research and trials are carried out by the same clinicians who treat patients, shortening the path between discovery and new treatments.
Not-for-profit and our community
As a not-for-profit hospital, all donations support the services and programs that we provide to people with cancer. This independence enables a nimble and responsive approach to patient care and cancer research. Our generous donors help drive innovation in research, improve care and make each patientโs journey as smooth as it can possibly be.
Our volunteers are the heart of our community. This team of more than 120 dedicated people enhances our patientsโ experience in numerous ways. From the first moment a patient walks through the door to be greeted by our friendly concierges, to having refreshments brought to them in the wards or sitting down to a game or having a book read, our volunteers are there to lend support during every step of their treatment journey.
