Recognised annually on February 4, World Cancer Day aims to raise awareness and help close the gap in cancer care.
The Cancer Council’s Victorian Cancer Registry found 2420 fewer Victorians were diagnosed with the most common cancer types in 2020 — a seven per cent drop from previous years.
“Whether there were screening programs on hold, people were too nervous to go to the GP — the biggest thing is making sure those people are getting back to regular habits of screening,” GenesisCare Shepparton registered nurse Samantha Hall said.
“We know screening can improve quality of life, patient survival rates and sometimes reduce the amount of treatment they’ll need if we can catch things early.
“Listening to their body and acting on anything that’s not normal for them (is important).”
GenesisCare offers cancer services, including radiation treatment, to people in the Goulburn Valley and surrounds, treating close to 1000 patients since it opened in late 2019.
“We were fortunate we were open the whole time through COVID-19 and it was important for patients to have that continuity in their treatment,” Ms Hall said.
“There was also the psychological impact of COVID-19 as well.
“It’s scary enough for people having to get cancer treatment, all the back-to-back lockdowns, lack of access to family and support mechanisms — coming here every day for treatment we were the one constant for them.”
Radiation therapist Oscar Riches said it was less stressful for patients being able to access life-saving treatment at home, rather than having to travel to Melbourne.
“Their family and support network is nearby and you don’t have the financial burden of finding accommodation, especially if they have to turn up every day for the treatment to be effective,” he said.
“World Cancer Day is an important opportunity to raise awareness of one of the biggest health burdens globally and talk about the steps we can all take individually and collectively to close the care gap for cancer patients.”
Cancer Council Victoria is marking the occasion with a Cancer Research Giving Day, with every donation made from 9am to 9pm to be matched, with a goal to raise $400,000.
“In 2020, even with the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on our fundraising, we spent $23.7 million on cancer research,” Cancer Council Victoria’s chief executive Todd Harper said.
“Together we can continue to fund world-class local research to improve diagnosis, detection, and treatment for every cancer.”
To donate visit cancerresearchgivingday.com.au
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