A big victory for patients with 10 more McGrath Cancer Care Nurses

The Malinauskas Labor Government will fund 10 additional McGrath Cancer Care Nurses, delivering greater access to crucial support for people living with cancer.

This 37 per cent boost to cancer care and support services will be delivered in partnership with the McGrath Foundation and made possible through a new four-year, $6.5 million agreement.

In addition to its long-standing commitment to people with breast cancer, the McGrath Foundation has expanded its purpose and has made a new commitment to work towards ensuring care is available to people with any type of cancer.

The Malinauskas Government shares this commitment, which is why it will deliver an additional 10 Cancer Care Nurses.

For those diagnosed, and their loved ones who join them through their cancer experience, McGrath Cancer Care Nurses deliver a range of care services, including:

• Expert clinical support and guidance throughout patients’ cancer treatment.
• Psychosocial support to help manage the emotional impacts of cancer.
• Patient advocacy aimed at ensuring cancer care is centred around individual requirements.
• Providing patients and their families with access to evidence-based information and valuable support services that are relevant to their cancer and treatment.

Earlier this year the McGrath Foundation established Australia’s first-ever McGrath Cancer Care Nurse to support people with any type of cancer, Carissa Stone, who is based in the Adelaide Hills.

Six of the new nurses will be based in metropolitan areas while four will head to regional South Australia, responding to different needs in different areas, including high-complexity caseloads, high population growth areas and ageing populations.

Since 2008 the McGrath Foundation has supported more than 7,000 people diagnosed with cancer across the state.

This is just the latest in the Malinauskas Government’s investments into additional cancer care nurses for our health system, having also delivered:

• Four new Lung Cancer and Respiratory Nurses, in cooperation with the Lung Foundation.
• A new specialist Brain Cancer Nurse Consultant, in cooperation with the NeuroSurgical Research Foundation.
• Two new myeloma part-time nurses, in cooperation with Myeloma Australia.

One in two people in Australia will likely be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and by 2035 it’s expected more than 200,000 people will be diagnosed with cancer each year – up from an estimated 170,000 this year.

As the need for access to cancer care services grows, so too does the Malinauskas Government’s investment in those services.

Quotes

Attributable to Peter Malinauskas

At some point, cancer has an impact on the life of almost every person in South Australia.

Seven thousand South Australians are diagnosed with cancer each year.

It can be deeply confronting. And when a diagnosis happens, it is vitally important that patients and their families can get support where they live.

McGrath Foundation Nurses have a long and proud track record of doing just that.

We are now funding more of them, to assist with more cancers, in more parts of our state.

Attributable to Chris Picton

Everyone is affected by cancer in some way, and everyone deserves access to cancer care and support when they need it.

We are investing in more McGrath Cancer Care Nurses to strengthen the supports available to patients, while also delivering valuable care, support and advocacy.

We’re really excited to work with the McGrath Foundation and the Government shares their desire to expand access to care and support for people with all types of cancer. This comes on top of the extra cancer nurses we have already invested in for lung cancer, brain cancer and myeloma patients.

Attributable to McGrath Foundation President & Co-Founder, Glenn McGrath

Around one in two people in Australia will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and we believe everyone deserves care.

A cancer diagnosis affects the whole family, and our nurses are there with free clinical, psychosocial and emotional support throughout the cancer experience.

Today’s announcement is an important step in helping us work towards our purpose of ensuring no one with cancer misses out on care.

Attributable to McGrath Foundation CEO Holly Masters

Over the last 20 years, we’ve seen the proven positive impact our McGrath Cancer Care Nurses have had for people experiencing breast cancer, and now we’re focused on ensuring people diagnosed with other cancers can access that same support.

We’re incredibly grateful to the South Australian Government for committing to helping more South Australians access this vital care, no matter what cancer they have.