The Western Care Lodge is nine years old, and in that time it has provided thousands of people from outside Orange with a place to stay while undergoing treatment at Orange Health Service.

The lodge services a catchment area of 300,000 people and is available to those who live more than 100km from Orange.

The lodge opened in 2011, but there were years of lead-up work to raise the funds.

Fundraising chairperson Jan Savage has been there since the beginning.

Tears well up as she recalls the slog to get the project off the ground, and the impact the lodge has on its guests.

"I actually get quite emotional, just seeing townspeople and community groups get together, and see that commitment, the feeling that is generated when people work together to fundraise," she said.

"It's been the most amazing experience."

The lodge has a large and modern central kitchen with multiple fridges.

There is a common area where guests can shoot the breeze or talk about their medical experiences.

"The lodge provides a safe and healing space for people to come and relax," said Mrs Savage. "We have beautiful gardens."

State government funding ensured that patients only paid a modest fee for their first two nights, and then accommodation was taken care of for the rest of their typically multi-week stay.

Mrs Savage said this took a huge pressure off cancer patients, who were often struggling to stay afloat financially due to lost work and medical costs.

The lodge presented the Central Western Daily with a certificate of appreciation on Thursday for its support over many years.

"Community media is so important to communities," Mrs Savage said.

"They got the message out there, and they pushed and pushed, which was instrumental in achieving radiotherapy being placed in the new facility (at Orange Health Service), and wherever there is radiotherapy they have to have patient accommodation."

Cancer Care Western NSW vice chairman Dr Stuart Porges said that when cancer treatment services in Dubbo expand, it may free up room nights in Orange.

In that case, the lodge may broaden its scope to accept patients undergoing heart treatment.

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