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In July 2006, Victorian Minister for Health, the Hon. Bronwyn Pike officially opened the Monash Medical Centre’s new Children’s Cancer Centre. It is planned the new Centre will care for between 20-30 per cent of Victoria’s childhood cancer patients. The Centre incorporates purpose-built treatment rooms, a child and parent friendly waiting area, consulting space and enhanced equipment resources. The new unit is near the hospital’s main entrance, which will make it more accessible, providing a child and family-friendly environment The development has been generously supported by several charities, foundations, and community-minded organisations, particularly the Kids with Cancer Foundation, The KOALA Foundation (a cancer parent and peer support group) and the Sandringham Police. The plan will see Monash Medical Centre Clayton facilities upgraded, to international best practice and design – with extra oncologist sessions enabling more children living in the eastern and south-eastern suburbs to receive treatment closer to home. This is a great boost for the people of the eastern and south-eastern suburbs, because it means kids being treated at Monash will have a greater range of treatment, more often. But, even more importantly, this initiative will also mean better care for children with cancer across the State, because the new team at Monash Medical Centre will help coordinate the care of those being treated in partnership with the other two cancer centres – the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre – as well as developing partnerships with regional centres. Previously, different hospitals largely worked separately, meaning the scheduling of a child’s cancer treatment was complicated, with children often seeing a myriad of specialists at different institutions. A dedicated 10-person cancer team, including nurse coordinators, specialist paediatric oncologists and a program coordinator, will work to ensure that kids are seen by specialists familiar with their care, no matter which hospital they need to visit.
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BAILEY'S DAY 2006 |