Patients met Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy when she visited Wimmera Base Hospital in Horsham on Friday.

About 60 people gathered in the hospital’s sub-acute unit as Ms Hennessy discussed the state government’s $1-million budget commitment for the centre.

She then toured the hospital and met patients in the dialysis unit and day oncology centre.

The Grampians region has the lowest five-year cancer survival rate in Victoria.

Ballarat is the referral centre for oncology in the region, but the new centre will allow all treatments to be delivered in the Wimmera.

Edenhope’s Sophie Caldow has stage four breast cancer.

“I was diagnosed in December 2014, so I’ve been receiving treatment on and off since then,” she said.

“The new cancer centre will be great, and it will offer a bit more privacy for patients.”

Horsham’s Evan Mackley receives dialysis at the hospital three days a week. He said a new centre would be brilliant. 

“It will be unbelievable. Anything that benefits people has got to be good, and this will help so many,” he said.

Mr Mackley has donated paintings and books for a raffle to raise money for Rachael’s Wish, the community fundraising initiative for the cancer centre.

The initiative has raised $821,000 so far, and has a goal of at least $1 million.

Ms Hennessy said the government was prepared to allocate extra funding if needed.

“If you don’t get there, we will,” she said.

“We’re going to build this. This project is not going to stop if the community fundraising falls short.”

Ms Hennessy said the cancer centre was incredibly important.

“It is essential people are treated with dignity and respect when they are receiving treatment, but it's very hard to feel that when you have to travel that long drive up and down that bloody highway to Ballarat,” she said.

“I know what it’s like – I married a boy from Dimboola.

“The joy of being the health minister is you get to see the gratitude patients have for the staff and care they get. 

“Patients often don’t complain about the setting they’re in, but that makes it even more important to make sure we’ve got capital and rooms that are fit for purpose, both for dialysis and oncology.

“We are inspired by the local leadership and fundraising, and the vision and enthusiasm that so many of you have for better health care in the Wimmera.”