With six designated regional public health services in Victoria, GV Health is the only one without an Integrated Cancer Centre.
The GV Health Foundation’s ‘I Care for Cancer Care @ GV Health’ fundraising appeal aims to raise $5 million to support the construction of one.
“Every person in the Goulburn Valley deserves access to world-class cancer care close to home and near their loved ones,” GV Health Foundation chair Stephen Merrylees said.
“This campaign is about ensuring our community has the facilities it needs, now and into the future.”
Demand for cancer services in the Goulburn Valley is growing quickly.
In the past four years, treatments delivered at GV Health’s Oncology Unit have increased by 54 per cent from 10,679 to 16,476.
The increase is driven by rising cancer rates across Australia, a strong preference from patients to receive care locally, and metropolitan hospitals increasingly referring patients back to GV Health to allow them to remain close to their support networks.
GV Health’s current facilities were not designed to manage the current level of demand, and, as survival rates improve, they are increasingly unsuited to the long-term, ongoing nature of modern cancer care.
The Federal Government has committed $30 million for stage one of the Integrated Cancer Centre, with construction scheduled to begin next year.
Stage one will expand oncology treatment capacity and enhance wellness and support services.
However, $90 million that is required for stage two of the centre has not yet been secured.
Without stage two, oncology services will remain split across two sites, limiting the ability to deliver fully integrated cancer care with comprehensive wellness and support services.
Stage one does not include on-site radiation therapy, which means patients will continue to travel to an external provider for this service.
Stages one and two will bring comprehensive cancer care together under one roof, reducing travel burdens for patients and their families and making it easier to access the right services at the right time.
The foundation says by enabling more co-ordinated, multidisciplinary care, an Integrated Cancer Centre would support earlier intervention at every stage of the cancer journey and help improve patient outcomes.
Additionally, it could strengthen the region’s ability to attract and retain specialist staff by providing modern, fit-for-purpose facilities that have been designed to meet current and future demand.
GV Health Foundation director Amy De Paola said the community’s support would play a vital role in securing the future of cancer care in the region.
“The Goulburn Valley deserves the same standard of cancer care found in other regional hubs,” Mrs De Paola said.
“Every donation not only brings us closer to our $5 million fundraising target, but also demonstrates that our community is united in calling for a fully Integrated Cancer Centre that is close to home.”
The appeal is well under way, anchored by a $1 million donation made by the Copulos Family Foundation in December.
The GV Health Foundation is now calling on individuals, businesses and community groups to donate to the I Care for Cancer Care @ GV Health appeal to help bring first-class cancer care to the Goulburn Valley.
Donations can be made via the foundation’s website.
Community members interested in the various opportunities to contribute to and support the appeal can contact Amy De Paola via email at amy.depaola@gvhealth.org.au
