Article by Laura Newell, courtesy of Pilbara News
15.10.2025
A $6 million gift from Gina Rinehart’s Hancock companies will allow a Pilbara cancer care service to expand.
The announcement of the partnership with Solaris Cancer Care was made in Port Hedland, with Hancock executives meeting some of the brave cancer survivors and patients helped by the service, hearing their inspiring and courageous stories firsthand.
Solaris will use the money donated by Hancock Iron Ore and Hancock Prospecting to employ an additional cancer support co-ordinator and social worker, supporting local patients who face different struggles, when compared to those living in a metropolitan area due to the remote nature of the Pilbara.
Services that will be offered to Pilbara patients as a result are set to include: individual counselling and crisis support; help navigating the healthcare system in both the Pilbara and Perth; co-ordination of supportive care services; connections to local networks and community groups, including ReachUs, Hedland Well Women’s Centre, WA Country Health Service and the McGrath Foundation and bereavement support and information from diagnosis through to post-treatment care.
One of Solaris’ Pilbara clients, Tabarena Waddaman, said that when she was diagnosed, she was worried and scared — not only for herself but also for her daughter.
“Solaris cared for me and made me feel OK with getting my treatment. They made sure my daughter was looked after. They helped me get to my accommodation, took me to the shops. Made it possible for me to continue my treatment,” she said.
“Solaris gave me the confidence to go ahead with my surgery. If they were not supporting me I would not have kept going with my cancer treatment. I thought I had nobody here but I had Solaris. When I have team members of Solaris with me I feel safe.”
Hancock Iron Ore chair Gina Rinehart said the company was proud to support such a vital service.
“Cancer isn’t only about the medical battle. It’s also the emotional and practical toll that diagnosis brings for patients especially and their families and others close to them which is why the work Solaris does is so essential,” she said.
“I am especially proud of how our team embraces this cause — not only showing care and compassion to colleagues and fellow Australians facing cancer but also raising funds and giving their time to support them.
“Our staff live this commitment every day and it is a culture of genuine support that I hope will inspire many other companies and organisations around Australia to follow.”
Hancock Iron Ore chief executive Gerhard Veldsman said the Solaris partnership was “another example of our dedication to making a real difference in the lives of Pilbara residents”.
“By supporting the cancer support co-ordinator role, we are helping to bridge the gap in healthcare access for regional communities so that those facing cancer in the Pilbara won’t have to navigate their journey alone,” he said.
Solaris Cancer Care founder David Joske said the service was deeply grateful to Mrs Rinehart and her Hancock companies for their long-term and generous support to not only Solaris, but cancer care in general.
“She has been a leader in this space establishing Australia’s first breast cancer foundation — the Hancock Family Breast Cancer Foundation — and establishing the first National Breast Cancer Day in October. Her efforts laid the groundwork for national care and support that continues to this day,” he said.
Solaris Cancer Care chief executive Tony Hume said that over many years Mrs Rinehart had used her time, profile and generosity to champion support for cancer care initiatives.
“The pink trucks and other mining equipment at her mine sites and the pink ore ships visiting the Pilbara and travelling the world, have become a welcome reminder to people across the Pilbara, they are not alone in the fight against cancer,” he said.
“This substantial funding and valued partnership will not only help Solaris continue to deliver its services throughout the Pilbara but also significantly extend our reach and care to some of the most vulnerable, especially those in regional and remote areas who face significant barriers to accessing care.
“We look forward to the positive impact we can create together, from prevention to providing supportive care to those in crisis after a cancer diagnosis.”
