When Les Collins walked through the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre for the first time, he felt comforted.
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The 77-year-old Walla man, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year, was one of 800 cancer patients, survivors and carers to tour the recently-completed hospital over the course of last week.
His daughter Jodie was by his side and they were both “mind-blown” by the facility.
“It’s only since my dad was diagnosed that I’ve really taken a great deal of notice of whats going on (at the centre),” she said.
“Unfortunately the cancer spread and is now in this sternum and neck, so he has to have chemotherapy now.
“There’s a particular type of scan, a PET, that’s for prostate cancer that had to be done in Melbourne.
“Now, seeing how good the centre is, he feels happy to know his treatment can all be done here.”
Ms Collins said they were particularly impressed by the TrueBeam linear accelerator.
“This $4 million machine was just massive, it’s mind-blowing,” she said.
“They’ve got staff from all over the place that want to come here because it’s so state-of-the-art.”
GensisCare radiation oncology centre Albury Wodonga leader Paula Fraser said the technology available would provide a fully-integrated service.
“To provide that to patients is quite remarkable – that state-of-the-art equipment means we can provide additional treatment to patients and they don’t have to travel to Melbourne,” she said.
“Patients will be in one building, under one roof, with all of their cancer treatment available in the one centre.
“There’s a lot of evidence that states how treatment closer to home improves patient outcomes.”
Mrs Fraser said the room for expansion was also important, with a third radiotherapy bunker available for use down the track.
“We’ve got the capacity to grow as the need arises in the community,” she said.
“One of the technologies that we will be able to offer locally is stereotactic radiotherapy.
“We’re not doing that at the moment, but these machines will be able to offer that technology in treatment.”
To coincide with the opening of the cancer centre, a fundraising week will kick off from Sunday, September 11.
For information, visit sunshineweek.org.au.
