NSW is lagging behind with no state-wide plan to ensure people are supported to live well after a cancer diagnosis.
A report by Cancer Council NSW has found people with a past cancer diagnosis have high unmet needs including uncertainty about the future, tiredness, fear about cancer spreading, anxiety and help completing daily tasks, after treatment has finished.
“We conducted a survey which showed us that of the participants, a third of people with a past cancer diagnosis reported having challenges when needing information about access to services to help them manage their ongoing physical and mental health needs,” explains Brad Gellert, Manager of Policy and Advocacy at Cancer Council NSW.
“The effects of cancer don’t stop after treatment and people should have access to ongoing support.” Brad Gellert
Many participants of the survey expressed feeling as though they are “left in limbo” once acute cancer treatment is over.
Recent projections have indicated that over the next 25 years, there will be a 51% increase in new cancer diagnoses in Australia. As more people will be living with cancer, there’s never been a more important time to improve the quality of survivorship care.
“These findings show that the current system is not addressing the emotional and physical impact of cancer that continues well after a person finishes treatment,” says Mr Gellert. “Unlike Victoria and South Australia, NSW has no state-wide plan to help support people to live well after a cancer diagnosis” reported Brad Gellert from Cancer Council NSW.
Cancer Council NSW is calling on the next NSW Government in the leadup to the NSW State Election in March, to commit to developing a plan to ensure people can access the support they need beyond their cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Having her own lived experience of cancer, Annie Miller, Director of Cancer Council’s Cancer Information and Support Services Team, knows firsthand how the effects of cancer are long lasting even once you are cancer free, “I almost felt like a secret shopper, I was listening to what people were telling me and I knew what I was going through, and what many are going through, and I thought that this was a great opportunity for me to learn firsthand what people with cancer are going through,” says Ms Miller.
“It’s incredibly frustrating when you just don’t know where you are meant to go. Post treatment has been really tough.” Ms Miller still experiences post treatment physical and emotional challenges and experiences side effects from the hormone blockers she needs to remain on. She explains that after 14months of treatment, and currently being cancer free, post-treatment care is still hard to navigate, “Working out who to speak to about this has been a real challenge”.
“We are so fortunate living in this country and whilst there are gaps in the health system, processes and navigation that can be so much better, we essentially have incredible health professionals looking after us who care so much and are seriously overworked and stretched to the max.” Ms Miller concludes.
Support people like Annie Miller, to live well during and after a cancer diagnosis by signing the petition for Cancer Council NSW’s Here for Change campaign: cancercouncil.com.au/petition
Source: Cancer Council NSW
