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New Cancer Treatment Centre for Latrobe

Cancer treatment in the Latrobe region will be transformed by the creation of a new Cancer Treatment Centre to be jointly funded by the Australian and Victoria Governments.

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3 October 2003

New Cancer Treatment Centre for Latrobe

Cancer treatment in the Latrobe region will be transformed by the creation of a new Cancer Treatment Centre to be jointly funded by the Australian and Victoria Governments.

The Australian Government Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson, said the new centre, to be established at the Latrobe Regional Hospital, would receive $10 million from the Australian Government.

"The Howard Government is committed to improving access to cancer treatment services, including radiotherapy," Senator Patterson said.

Under the same agreement, a further $2 million will be provided towards the expansion of radiotherapy services at the Andrew Love Centre in Geelong.

Senator Patterson said that the two governments had recognised the need for better, closer access to treatment for the people of the Latrobe Valley.

The new centre, which is expected to begin treating patients in 2005, will provide comprehensive, multimodality treatment, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and support services, in line with best practice.

At present, some cancer patients choose not to undergo radiotherapy because they have to travel long distances to receive treatment, which is usually delivered over a number of weeks.

"This funding will help Victoria expedite the establishment of these much-needed services," Senator Patterson said.

"It is a wonderful example of how governments can work together to improve care for cancer patients," she said.

The Australian Government made $72.7 million available in the 2002-03 Budget assist the states in meeting their obligations to access to radiotherapy services to Australians living in rural and regional areas. The Latrobe and Barwon-South Western regions were jointly identified as being in need of additional radiotherapy services.

Radiotherapy, surgery and chemotherapy are the three main treatments for cancer.

For more information: Sarah Higginbottom, Media Adviser, (03) 9657 9577