21
Aug 2024
Partnership Between Icon and Bays Enhances Cancer Patient Care
Published in News on August 21, 2024
Cancer patients in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula will soon have access to specialized treatment without the need to travel far from home. Icon Cancer Centre has announced that it will provide radiation oncology services at The Bays Hospital’s new Cancer Care Centre, which is currently under construction.
This new facility will be the first of its kind in the Mornington Peninsula Shire, featuring advanced technology like the Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator (linac). This state-of-the-art equipment will offer stereotactic radiation therapy, tattoo-free radiation therapy for breast cancer patients, and HyperArc technology for treating secondary brain tumours.
The centre will also include a dedicated radiation therapy planning CT scanner, allowing patients to complete their planning sessions and treatment in one convenient location.
Paul Fenton, CEO of Icon Cancer Centre Australia and New Zealand, expressed the importance of this new service for the local community. "We’re thrilled to partner with The Bays to bring world-class cancer care to the Mornington Peninsula. This will ensure that people have access to life-saving treatments right in their own community," Fenton said.
"Icon will provide the most advanced technology available, enabling us to target and treat cancer more effectively. We aim to make treatment more convenient for patients by reducing the time and travel needed for their care. This is something that local cancer patients and their families truly deserve."
The advanced radiation therapy techniques at this centre are anticipated to provide faster and more precise patient treatments.
Projections indicate that by 2032, nearly 30,000 patients on the Mornington Peninsula will require admission for cancer or haematological diagnoses, with up to 15,000 of these cases expected in private hospitals.
Jade Phelan, CEO of The Bays Hospital, emphasized the importance of this new centre in reducing the burdens associated with a cancer diagnosis. "Patients undergoing chemotherapy often feel very unwell, and for those who also need radiation therapy, having integrated cancer care onsite is incredibly beneficial," Phelan stated.
"Our partnership with Icon enables us to offer something special, combining a top-notch multidisciplinary team, state-of-the-art facilities, and strong collaboration. This service will make a real difference for cancer patients and their families on the Mornington Peninsula."
For patients and their loved ones seeking to stay close during treatment, finding suitable accommodation on the Mornington Peninsula will also be an essential consideration. The service, led by experienced local radiation oncologists Dr David Blakey and Dr Maree Sexton, is set to open by the end of 2024.
