The wellness centre is the final piece of the puzzle to the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre and a co-ordinator has been appointed to put it into place.
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Thanks to community donations, the AWRCC Trust Fund has committed $129,000 over three years to the part-time role.
Karen Mildren, who has relocated from Melbourne, will lead the establishment of centre programs over the next few months as part of the position.
“I was quite interested in the role, as I have a background in health promotion and I had done pediatric oncology nursing for a number of years,” she said.
“The first exciting thing we’re involved in, is we really want the community to have a voice in this.
“We really want patients and people who have survived cancer, carers and families to inform us about what they’d like to see in this centre.”
Ms Mildren said she would also be seeking expressions of interest from people wishing to form a Wellness Centre Advisory Committee.
“What we want is an advisory committee that has consumer representation,” she said.
“We need to look at the evidence-based research behind what works well in cancer wellness and recovery.”
To start collecting community ideas, there will be cancer wellness community information forums held on Monday from 6pm to 7.30pm, and on Wednesday from 10am to 11.30am.
The workshops will be held in conjunction with Hume Regional Integrated Cancer Service.
HRICS project manager Colin Roberts said optimal care pathways would be explored in the forums.
“It’s aimed at ensuring patients who are in a pathway for cancer are getting the optimal care in terms of the referral, to treatment times and making sure that pathway is safe, consistent and evidence-based,” he said.
“One of the most important aspects for us is trying to empower patients, cares, family and friends by giving them information.”
AWRCC Trust Fund fundraising manager Jane Evans said the fund, which had also contributed $20,000 to fitting out the wellness centre, still needed donations even though the buildings were complete.
“Now the cancer centre is up and running and the wellness centre is about to, we need community support more than ever,” she said
“They have funded the bricks and mortar, but from this point on, we need to fund things like programs.
“We thank everyone who has already donated and we look forward to more donations in the future.”
To register for the community forums, contact Ms Mildren on (02) 6064 1562.