Nancy Murdoch has survived three different bouts of cancer and each time she's had to travel nearly 250 kilometres from her home in the Riverland town of Berri to Adelaide for treatment.
Ms Murdoch credits the supported accommodation provided by the Cancer Council for helping to save her life and is excited by the progress of their new building for other regional cancer patients.
The Cancer Council is building a new facility in Adelaide for regional people travelling to the city for treatment that will concentrate support, prevention and research services under one roof.
The facility, which the council says will be the first of its kind in the state, will have the capacity to support 120 people and is set to be ready to accept regional patients from August.
Over the last 20 years Ms Murdoch has survived breast, kidney and colon cancer.
She says the facility will make all the difference for others in similar situations.
"Without that accommodation I just would not have been able to have any treatment," Ms Murdoch said.
"And if you can't have treatment, then you haven't got much chance of living.
"I am here today because of the doctors, and the accommodation that the Cancer Council provided."
'Home away from home'
The Cancer Council said the building on Greenhill Road was nearing the final stages of construction.
The $30 million project is partly funded by a $10m grant from the state government and chief executive Kerry Rowlands said the council had sold its two existing lodge premises.
"The new building is going to combine all elements of the services we provide, bringing together our cancer research, prevention and support services, alongside the supported accommodation," Ms Rowlands said.
"That accommodation is really for regional South Australians impacted by cancer, to give them that home away from home feel.
"Its always easier to talk to somebody who's going through a similar situation and that's certainly what we're looking to create in this new building."
Ms Murdoch says anything that can reduce the anguish of battling cancer is "very important".
"That will take a lot of stress out," she said.
"With everything being in the one building, its going to be absolutely amazing.
"With your treatments you get very tired and you're down there for six weeks at a time — and it affects you emotionally as well.
