A Lake Macquarie-based charity hopes to send 500 gift packages to cancer patients in Victoria who are unable to have regular visitors due to the coronavirus.
The Big Hug Box charity has partnered with research-funding charity Cure Cancer to support those fighting cancer during the pandemic and the state's hard lockdown.
Lisa Greissl founded The Big Hug Box charity in 2018 after surviving a rare and malignant cancer discovered shortly after the birth of her second daughter.
Ms Greissl, of Macquarie Hills, said she came up with the idea of a mixed gift-box as "a lot of people didn't know what to say or do" after they heard of her diagnosis.
Over the past two years, the charity has grown from servicing hospitals and patients in the Hunter to delivering boxes to Sydney, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
"We send out care packs in two different ways," Ms Greissl said.
"A family member of friend can buy one and have it sent directly to the person who has faced a cancer diagnosis.
"We also created what we call a rock-box. That's a random hug of kindness, where organisations or individuals can donate boxes.
"What we do then is go and deliver them to treatment centres. Going in there to a full clinic and delivering a box to each patient as a random act of kindness."
Ms Greissl said the campaign with Cure Cancer aimed to fund 500 gift boxes which would be distributed throughout Victoria.
She said many patients were unable to have visitors, or visitors in the numbers they usually would, because of the risk of contracting the virus and the lockdown measures preventing non-essential travel.
Having gone through "extremely intense" treatment herself, she hopes the boxes will offer support to those facing a similar journey in "much more challenging" circumstances.
Each box features "practical and empowering" products that can "bring a moment of joy" to each patient and "promote wellness throughout their treatment", Ms Greissl said.
The products are sourced from small Australian businesses and the boxes include messages which aim to inspire hope.
Donations to support the campaign can be made online via a GoFundMe page titled "Give Melbourne Cancer Patients A Hug".
Ms Greissl said more than $6000 had already been raised and the charity hopes to deliver 300 mini ($25) and 200 large boxes ($75) to Victorian oncology wards.
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