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My nameís Maria. I am 45 and I have advanced lung cancer ñ non-small cell lung cancer.
I had been feeling unwell for quite a while and finally my doctor sent me off for a chest
x-ray. And as soon as they saw the x-ray they said, ëGo straight to hospitalí.
I had a CT scan and that was when they discovered that I had cancer and that it was at an advanced
stage.
One in three Victorians will experience a cancer diagnosis by the time theyíre 75.
When you think about the impact on, not only the person but their families as well, itís
clear cancer is a major health issue in our community. It affects all of us in some way.
The Cancer Council Victoria provides an opportunity to support people through that process.
The Cancer Council Victoria really has a leadership role in cancer knowledge. We invest heavily
into cancer research to unlock that answers that will help give people in Victoria a brighter
future.
But what we also do is invest heavily in programs, to reach out to those people whoíve been
diagnosed with cancer ñ those affected by cancer, to provide them with support through
that cancer process, because cancer, of course, is a medical condition but it also has a significant
social impact. We want to make sure that weíre working as hard as we can in both of those
areas.
ìMy nameís Robyn, Iím a cancer nurse. How are you today?î
The Cancer Information and Support Service was established to provide really accurate,
reliable, trustworthy information, and an extensive range of support for not only people
with cancer, but their families and friends.
ìÖ if you have any other questions, feel free to call us again on the helpline, and
the numberís 13 11 20î
I think we understand that the needs of someone who has been recently diagnosed with cancer
are quite different to someone who has advanced cancer. In the case of someone who has advanced
cancer, we need to be respectful of the cancer experience and provide information and support
in a way that is most relevant for their needs.
Weíve got an incredible team of people who are real experts in cancer knowledge, in cancer
support and in being able to tailor programs to really match the needs of the person who
is contacting our service.
People with advanced cancer, and their families, need support more than anyone. Often theyíre
living with uncertainty. They worry about planning their will. Even planning their funeral.
Breaking bad news to family members and friends. Even dealing with the reactions of other people
ñ no-one wants to know about advanced cancer. Often people are alone. They donít know the
questions to ask. They donít know about palliative care. They donít know how to make it better
for their families, or their friends.
We really believe that people should be able to live fully, until they die. But in order
to live fully until you die, you need to plan. You need to have support, and you need really
good information.
There were a couple of times with medication ñ particularly when youíre on chemo ñ and
youíve got the strangest things happening with your body, and you canít get onto your
oncologist or your doctorÖ through the Cancer Council telephone support group ñ the nurses
there were great to ring up - they were just fantastic.
People with cancer want people who know what theyíre talking about. Especially in the
advanced stages. They donít want to have to explain it all. They donít want to have
people who get caught up in being all sad about how difficult this must be, they actually
want to have people who know this stuff really well. And they really deserve to have that,
at this stage in their life.
The type of tailored, responsive, flexible programs that we offer through our Cancer
Information and Support Service take a lot of time. They take a lot of planning and they
take a lot of money. Weíre forever grateful for the donations that come in, to help us
support the type of program and the type of vision that we know the cancer community are
wanting.
Iíve got prostate cancer, which Iíve lived with for the last 12 and a half years. Whilst
are figures in terms of recovery from cancer, survival from cancer are good, thereís huge
needs out there. In the gap between being able to be cured, and end of life is increasingly
a long period now and that support from the Cancer Council, in terms of information, how
you live, practical suggestions, how you can manage the various issues that come up in
that situation, itís invaluable. Really helpful to people like me.
I think to be able to assist someone in the last stage of their life. To feel supported
and to be able to ask for their needs to be met, surely as a community that has to be
one of the things that we want to give more than anything.
Without this kinda of support ñ not only for the person with advanced cancer, but their
whole family, their whole network ñ itís like a domino effect. Everything starts to
fall down around them.
Weíve got the expertise in our team, weíve got the skills. But we donít have the money
to make this happen.
The Cancer Council Victoria is already a world leader in providing support programs for people
affected by cancer. This provides an opportunity to extend those services even further. To
improve the experiences of those who are facing advanced cancer.
Iíve been really fortunate, I get different support from different people. It enhances
the rest of my life, being able to have that. Because there is stuff that you can take to
the group to talk about that you canít Ö itís too painful sometimes to talk about
with your family or with your friends, but when youíre talking to someone else with
cancer itís ok.
when youíre dealing with organisations like the Cancer Council, that are dedicated to
helping people with cancer, you really fell quite humble that all these people are there,
working so hard, to look after people affected by cancer.