For the past five weeks Mr McLennan, from Dubbo, has been receiving chemotherapy treatment at Orange Health Service.

And for the last five weeks, Western Care Lodge has been his home away from home.

"It's been wonderful," he said.

"It's the most healing space I've ever been in, and I've been to a lot of wonderful retreat-type places."

Western Care Lodge, which was purpose-built for patients receiving treatment a short stroll away, is celebrating its ninth birthday.

Located on the vast Bloomfields grounds, it consists of 22 spacious en suite units, each with two king single beds so as to allow partners or friends to stay.

Mr McLennan is receiving 25 weekday treatments in total for a tumour that was discovered following a bowel cancer test sent in the mail. He gets to return to Dubbo on weekends.

"Without that test I wouldn't have set the ball rolling," he said.

"They found traces of blood, so I went to the doc, then I had a colonoscopy and they told me straight away you've got a lump."

He takes tablets morning and night and then during the day walks to the hospital, uses a bar-code to check in and is taken for a five-minute radiation session where the tumour is targeted.

"I have to have a full bladder so I drink one and a half litres of water in the hour before and then waddle across," Mr McLennan said.

"For this particular tumour they want to make it as small as possible before surgery to remove it.

"It's been a big journey but it's been made really easy by being here."

If the chemotherapy doesn't eliminate the tumour altogether (a one-in-five chance), Mr McLennan will return in five-to-eight weeks for an operation to remove what is left of the tumour.

He credits transcendental meditation with helping him find inner quiet during his diagnosis and treatment.

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