Cancer survivors receive ongoing holistic care at new Prince of Wales centre

Former patients, district executives, clinicians and fundraising leaders gathered last week to join in the opening of the Prince of Wales Hospital Cancer Survivorship Centre and Sydney You Can Centre, housed in the beautifully restored Medical Superintendent’s Cottage.

Conducting the official opening, Acting Minister for Health Victor Dominello MP said the new facility’s mission was to focus on prevention, surveillance for recurrence, monitoring and intervention for the physical and psychological effects of cancer and treatment.

“Half of all Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by their 85th birthday, so the benefits of a centre like this are profound,” Minister Dominello said.

“The centre will provide a range of evidence-based and research-driven cancer survivorship programs and services to support patients.”

The centre was developed with funding from the State and Federal governments, the Nelune Foundation, Sony Foundation and the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation. The Cancer Council is also contributing to the facility by providing a Liaison Officer who will be based full time in this cottage.

Professor Boon Chua, Director, Cancer and Haematology Services, Prince of Wales Hospital, said the centre will provide a patient-centred, innovative survivorship program – all the more essential now, due to the social and economic impact of the growing number of Australians being affected by cancer.

“Cancer survivors are at increased risk for serious long-term morbidity – physical, psychosocial and economic – for quite some time after diagnosis and treatment,” Professor Chua said.

“Our program will invest in the post-treatment care of those patients – and in training the next generation of clinicians and researchers to support an expanding population of cancer survivors.”

Jennie Barry, General Manager, Prince of Wales Hospital, said the new Cancer Survivorship Centre and the co-located Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre, which provides acute cancer treatment, were two world-class co-located facilities ensuring care throughout the patient journey.

“Prince of Wales Hospital Cancer Survivorship Centre will be a sanctuary and a support for many in NSW who have a positive outcome following their treatment and are working to stay well,” Ms Barry said.

Guests at the opening included the Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton MP, the Member for Coogee Marjorie O'Neill MP, senior executives from the Sony, Nelune and Prince of Wales Hospital foundations, along with members of the SESLHD Board and Haematology and Cancer Services staff.

In addition to government and foundation support for the centre’s establishment, a host of support has also been provided by a range of businesses including ‘Sam the Paving Man’ from Heritage Paving, interior designer Jono Fleming, Bondi Grass, Temple and Webster, CoCo Republic, Nick Scali and Harvey Norman.