GRANTS HELP AUSTRALIANS WITH CANCER

The Commonwealth Government has committed more than $1 million to cancer support groups across Australia to support their work helping people with cancer. Fifteen projects have been funded under the Building Cancer Support Networks initiative. These projects support people with cancer, as well as providing specific services for people with lung, bowel, ovarian, prostate, brain/spinal and haematological cancers. There are also services targeted to young people with cancer and people from culturally diverse backgrounds with cancer. Support groups play an important role in helping people with cancer during and after treatment. Many of the improvements in cancer prevention and treatment have resulted from the contribution made by community-based cancer organisations. The national organisations funded include OVCA Australia, the Lung Foundation of Australia, Brain Tumour Australia, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and the Leukaemia Foundation of Australia. Regional organisations funded include the Gippsland Women’s Health Service, Healthy Cities Noarlunga, the Mallee Health Service and Barwon Health. Other successful applicants include Saint’s Care in Perth, the Association of Prostate Cancer Support Groups in South Australia, and CanRevive in New South Wales. Three groups have also been funded to strengthen the capacity of the cancer support groups network. These include the Peter MacCullum Cancer Centre, the Cancer Council of Victoria and the Cancer Council Australia. All applications were assessed by an independent panel and there will be further funding rounds in the future. The Strengthening Cancer Care Budget initiative, which included the Building Cancer Support Networks initiative, allocated $189.4 million over the five years to 2008-09 to ensure better coordination of the national cancer effort with more research funding for cancer care, better support for those living with cancer, strengthening palliative care services and better support for the professionals who care for them.