A $337,000 investment in Border cancer treatment means at least 38 people a year can undergo reconstructive surgery closer to home.
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Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust Fund on Wednesday announced money for new equipment at Albury hospital that will enable breast reconstructions after a mastectomy and in the future also be used for head and neck cancer patients.
Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Queenie Chan, who joined Albury Wodonga Health last year, said patients previously had to travel to Melbourne for surgery.
"It's time away from the family, time to not have the support of their families and loved ones behind them, while going through such a major operation," she said.
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Dr Chan said reconstructive surgery remained integral to the cancer journey.
"Without the reconstruction, a lot of these patients are not able to move past their cancer experience and get on with their lives," she said.
Acquisition of the reconstructive equipment has also helped AWH secure Dr Chan's services.
The new equipment includes a microscope specifically designed for microsurgery, a skin graft machine, a coupler to connect vessels and hand-held Doppler.
Trust Fund board member Di Thomas said the fund was proud to make its largest single contribution and grateful for the community support that raised more than $200,000 at the 2019 Sunshine Walk.
"Being close to home is such an important thing when people are going through cancer treatment and surgery," she said.
AWH chief operating officer Emma Poland thanked the Trust Fund, saying the donation would make a real difference to patients.
"We're working towards being able to perform breast reconstructive surgeries locally in the next 12 months," she said.