Rise Above - Capital Region Cancer Relief

15/10/2026

🎶 An afternoon of beautiful music for a wonderful cause!

Each year, the Queanbeyan Community Choir holds a concert to raise funds for a local charity, and we're so grateful they've chosen to support Rise Above again this year!

Join the choir for The Joy of Music, an afternoon of beautiful music and afternoon tea, all while helping support local cancer patients and their families.

📅 Saturday 17 October
⏰ 3pm
📍 Queanbeyan Uniting Church Hall, Rutledge Street

Entry is FREE, with no bookings needed! Gold coin donations will be collected for Rise Above to help us continue providing financial and practical support to local people impacted by cancer.

A huge thank you to the Queanbeyan Community Choir for once again choosing to support our community.

We'd love to see you there! 💜

14/10/2026

Cancer doesn’t care about your income.

You can have a good job, a mortgage, savings and a carefully managed household budget. Then cancer changes the maths.

Treatment can mean time away from work and less income, while the everyday costs keep coming.

Groceries still need to be bought.

The car still needs fuel, especially when you’re travelling to appointments.

There are medications, utility bills and other costs that can become much harder to manage when cancer treatment affects your ability to work.

That’s why Rise Above’s support isn’t only for people on low incomes.

For 40 years, we’ve helped local cancer patients and families across Canberra, Queanbeyan and the surrounding region with practical financial support when cancer puts pressure on the household budget.

👉 Can you SHARE this with someone who might not realise this support is available?

13/10/2026

Four shaved heads, one very special reason.

When Georgie was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, her mates Arlen, Justin, Corey and Aidan decided to shave their heads in solidarity with her as she prepared for several months of chemotherapy.

It was their way of standing beside Georgie and reminding her she doesn't have to face this alone.

But they also wanted to do something for other local people affected by cancer.

So, they set themselves a goal of raising $15,000 for Rise Above Canberra.

And they've absolutely smashed it, raising an incredible $17,570 so far! 👏

These funds will help us provide practical and financial support to cancer patients and families across Canberra and the surrounding region, assisting with everyday costs like groceries, fuel, medication and household bills.

A huge thank you to Arlen, Justin, Corey, Aidan and everyone who donated, shared the fundraiser or helped make the shave day happen.

And of course, to Georgie, we're sending you all our love. ❤️

📸 Photography by

There's still time to support the Hey There Georgie's Boys fundraiser: https://community.riseabovecbr.org.au/t/hey-there-georgies-boys?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

12/10/2026

You may know Rise Above. But do you know where it began?

Our story began in Queanbeyan 40 years ago.

Back in 1985, Queanbeyan local Yvonne Cuschieri started the organisation to ensure people facing cancer could access practical support close to home.

In 2018, we became Rise Above. The name became simpler, but nothing else changed.

We are still here for local cancer patients.

We still provide fast, targeted financial support when treatment brings extra pressure to the household.

That might mean help with groceries, fuel, medication, bills or other essential costs that do not disappear when cancer arrives.

Rise Above helps local cancer patients and families reduce the financial burden of cancer treatment so they can focus on their health, recovery and the people who matter most.

Are you keen to help us support the local community?

11/10/2026

A night of thrifting, music and giving back!

At the end of September, The Thrift Hub Canberra hosted their very first charity event, Thrift 4 Rise Above, and what a wonderful night it was!

With live music from Second Hand Sounds, a treasure hunt, raffle prizes and plenty of beautiful pre-loved finds, the shop was buzzing with people coming together for a great cause.

Together, they raised an incredible $1,561 for Rise Above Canberra! 👏

To put that into perspective, that could help cover:

💜 Anti-nausea and pain medication for 52 patients for a month.

💜 Easy the blow of the winter electricity bill for 5 patients.

💜 A month's worth of groceries for 4 local families.

These are the everyday expenses that can become difficult to manage during cancer treatment, and this fundraiser will help us provide practical relief to people and families across our region.

A huge thank you to The Thrift Hub Canberra .canberra for choosing to support Rise Above through your very first charity event!

And to the musicians, staff, volunteers, prize donors and everyone who came along, purchased a raffle ticket or supported the night in any way, thank you for making it such a success.

We're so grateful to have wonderful local businesses like The Thrift Hub in our corner.

📸 Photography by

11/10/2026

09/10/2026

Tahlia has been such a wonderful addition to the Rise Above team, first as a volunteer and now as a member of our admin team. We’re so incredibly proud of her sharing her voice, her experience and her beautiful, humble soul.

We’ve received lovely messages of relief, support and camaraderie from lots of women showing just how important it is for us to talk about the cancer taboos!

08/10/2026

220km. From where his mum was born, to where she now rests. And this Sunday, Ryan reaches the finish line.

After setting out from Wagga Wagga and running all the way to Canberra in memory of his mum, Ryan Downs will arrive at Gungahlin Cemetery at around 2pm this Sunday, 11 October.

And we’d love to see a crowd there waiting for him.

Rise Above CEO Renée Watson will join Ryan for the final 2km, before he completes a journey that has taken him through rural towns, across trails and over the Brindabella Range... all to raise money for local families facing cancer.

220 kilometres is an extraordinary achievement.

And every dollar Ryan has raised along the way will help Rise Above support local cancer patients and their families with the practical costs that come with treatment.

So this Sunday, if you can, come along to Gungahlin Cemetery and help us cheer Ryan through those final metres.

After 220km, we think he deserves a pretty loud finish to celebrate 🎉

📅Sunday 11 October
⏰Around 2pm
📍Gungahlin Cemetery, Canberra

Keep an eye on Ryan’s Instagram on Sunday for updates on his arrival time.

And if Ryan’s incredible effort has inspired you to support his fundraiser, you can make a donation: https://www.riseabovecbr.org.au/my-fundraising/109/ryan-downs?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Come cheer him home. ❤️

07/10/2026

Here’s to extraordinary impact!

We’re proud to celebrate xAmplify as one of Rise Above’s Social Impact Partners, reaching our highest Social Impact tier - Extraordinary Impact.

Through their annual Trivia Night, Golf Days and ongoing support, xAmplify continues to bring people together and make a meaningful contribution to the work of Rise Above.

It’s this kind of ongoing partnership that helps us continue providing practical financial assistance to local cancer patients and their families when they need it most.

A huge thank you to the xAmplify team for your continued support, commitment and generosity.

We’re incredibly grateful to have you in our corner.