In September 2006 Northeast Health Wangaratta lauched an appeal to raise $250,000 to build a new Oncology Unit here at the hospital in Wangaratta. Through the overwhelming charitable kindness and support provided by our local community, we have almost reached our target.
Background
Northeast Health Wangaratta's Oncology Department was established at the Wangaratta District Base Hospital in 1990. It initially started with one clinical nurse consultant who worked twenty hours a week. The Oncology Unit's catchment area covers the Hume Region, travelling from as far as Mansfield, Benalla, Violet Town, Myrtleford, Yarrawonga, Rutherglen and of course Wangaratta.
Since its inception in 1990 the demand for services has seen the Oncology Unit grow to operate forty hours per week, employing two clinical nurse consultants and four registered nurses who have all specialised in chemotherapy and cancer nursing.
Current statistics by the Victorian Cancer Registry show that during the period 2001-2003 there were 150 individuals each year in the Rural City of Wangaratta diagnosed with cancer, 55% male and 45% female. 60 deaths per year were recorded. The most common cancers identified were prostate, breast, bowel, lung, leukemia, bladder, head and neck.
Northeast Health Wangaratta staff treat 50 patients each week. Whilst the majority of the work undertaken is the treatment of cancer, the unit also provides other treatments such as blood and iron transfusion and the administration of certain specialist drugs.
Some of the treatments can take up to six hours to administer and patients need to be comfortable as they often spend long days in the unit. At times, patients are quite unwell and a comfortable and supportive environment makes a huge difference.
Despite the Oncology Unit operating for a number of years now, many people are still unaware of this service offered locally. People usually don't know about it until they are affected by cancer themselves. A diagnosis of cancer can be an extremely frightening time for not only the individual but also for their entire family.
Having a treatment centre close to home takes the anxiety away and enables families to stay with their loved one, continuing with their lives whilst undergoing treatment.
How Can You Help?
The demand for Oncology services in the area has increased dramatically and the Unit has outgrown it's current first floor location with inadequate circulation space between patient treatment chairs, congestion due to limited floor area and storage space, lack of privacy and confidentiality, clinical risk in the event of patient collapse or cardiac arrest and shared toilet facilities are external to the Unit.
The proposed new Oncology Unit will address all current issues with increased circulation space between patient treatment areas, a private interview room for patient and family discussions and counselling, infrastructure upgrades to promote staff and patient safety and improved comfort conditions, internal patient amenities, large storage facilities and an improved outlook for patients are just some of the improvements that will come with the new unit. The new unit will be located on the ground floor at the front of the hosptial campus with an entrance off Green Street. You can view the proposed unit layout here.
To build the new Oncology unit we need the support and generosity of our local community to raise $250,000. To make a donation or pledge, please contact Northeast Health Wangaratta's Community Relations Manager, Tanya Tatulaschwili on (03) 5722 0448, email: tanya.tatulaschwili@nhw.hume.org.au or DONATE NOW.