EVERY purchase contributes. Collectively, every $35 spent through Cancer Wellness Support’s Op Shops helps subsidise a complementary therapy for someone living with cancer.

Cancer Wellness Support has celebrated the soft launch of its third Op Shop, with around 80 guests gathering at the new 170 Queen Street store ahead of its official opening to the public on Monday, 31 August.

The Hon. Prue Car MP, Deputy Premier of NSW and Minister for Western Sydney, joined Councillor Todd Carney, Mayor of Penrith, Cancer Wellness Support representatives and members of the local community to mark the occasion.

For more than 20 years, Cancer Wellness Support’s well-established Katoomba and Penrith Op Shops have helped fund affordable cancer support. St Marys now becomes part of that story.

CEO Deborah Shepherd said the ambition was for St Marys to become a great Op Shop in its own right – offering good-quality pre-loved fashion, homewares and lifestyle pieces – while giving every purchase a greater purpose.

“We want people to come because they love the store and what they can find here,” Ms Shepherd said.

“Every purchase contributes, whether someone spends $5 or $50. Collectively, every $35 spent through our Op Shops helps us subsidise a complementary therapy for someone living with cancer.

“You can leave with something you love and know your purchase is also contributing to something much bigger.”

Importantly, the money raised through Cancer Wellness Support’s Op Shops stays local.

During 2025-26, Cancer Wellness Support supported more than 1,000 members and delivered approximately 9,300 subsidised complementary therapies to clients, carers and their families.

“Cancer can bring significant financial pressure at exactly the time people are trying to focus on their health and their family,” Ms Shepherd said.

“We provide another layer of support alongside conventional medical treatment, and we want that support to remain within reach for the people who need it.”

Why St Marys?

The decision to establish Cancer Wellness Support’s third Op Shop in St Marys was strategic, driven by the growth of Western Sydney, increasing membership and growing demand for affordable cancer support.

“We chose St Marys because we believe this is where we need to be,” Ms Shepherd said.

“Western Sydney is growing, our membership is growing and so is the need for affordable cancer support.

“The better this store does, the more people we can support.”

There is also a strong local connection. Ms Shepherd, Retail Manager Gail Searle and St Marys Retail Supervisor Carol Black all grew up in St Marys and are returning to Queen Street with an experienced Cancer Wellness Support retail team.

Mayor Carney welcomed Cancer Wellness Support to St Marys, acknowledging the Board for backing the expansion and Ms Shepherd for the vision to establish the organisation’s third Op Shop in St Marys.

The Deputy Premier marked the soft opening and spoke about the value of the Cancer Wellness Support model and the importance of making complementary cancer care accessible to people in Western Sydney who may otherwise find it financially out of reach.

Ms Shepherd said the evening was also an opportunity to recognise the many people who had helped transform the Queen Street premises and bring the store to life.

“There have been so many people along the way who have simply asked, ‘How can I help?’,” she said.

“That generosity has sustained Cancer Wellness Support for more than 20 years. Now we want to extend that invitation to St Marys.”

People don’t need to have a connection to cancer to become part of that story. They can shop, volunteer, connect with Cancer Wellness Support – or simply help someone affected by cancer discover that affordable support is available.

“Our hope is that, in time, St Marys will feel the same sense of connection to this store that we have been so fortunate to experience in Katoomba and Penrith,” Ms Shepherd said.

“Something as ordinary as finding a great piece for yourself or your home can become something quite extraordinary for somebody else.”

The Cancer Wellness Support St Marys Op Shop at 170 Queen Street officially opens on Monday, 31 August, before the organisation joins the wider community at the St Marys Spring Festival on Saturday, 5 September.