Inala House set to hold Dance for Cancer after 'very tough' 2020

But with the COVID-19 pandemic gradually fading away, Inala House management hopes 2021 can be a more ordinary - and lucrative - year.

Community Relations Coordinator Kate Dubois said management at the Cancer Council funded institution planned to hold Dance for Cancer in 2021.

"We are certainly hoping 2021 will be a much more positive year. We really are hoping that our events can get off the ground," she said.

"We do understand that there's still concern in the community about gathering for events and activities and we're very sensitive to that - particularly with people who have been going through cancer. They are in that higher risk group, so we need to be very sensitive to that and very understanding."

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The New England Relay for Life was canned earlier this year. But they hope to be able to hold community fundraising events like Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, the Dance for Cancer events in Tamworth, Narrabri and potentially Armidale, and more.

They will probably need the money. At the same time as fundraising dropped off, demand ramped up.

Cancer Council Community Programs Coordinator Kate Bowen said these days Inala House was full, more often.

They often have to house people in hotels and motels across town, a more expensive option for the service, she said.

Mrs Dubois said that pre-pandemic building a new centre - either in a wholly new space, multiple facilities or just expanding the current one - had been "on the radar".

The virus knocked it off the immediate agenda, with the day-to-day crisis of a pandemic becoming the priority.

"It was very early in the discussions. For a couple of years now we have noticed the trend is increasing the need for accommodation," she said.

"It has been on the radar. We would love to be able to improve our accommodation options. Ideally, we would love to see an expansion of that facility, or that program. We don't have a timeline on it at all, it's only in the very early stages of discussion."

Ms Bowen said they were collecting data to make the case for a new Inala House, but it would be a slow road.

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