Again, with this advanced cancer treatment now available in Cairns, patients no longer need to travel to Townsville or Brisbane. The people of Townsville were the next to benefit from close-to-home cancer care. Since December 2013, Icon Townsville, specialising in chemotherapy, immunotherapy and treatment for blood disorders, has provided patients with over 6,000 treatments, and well over 10,000 consults per year. Dr Sabe Sabesan has also been one of the first pioneers in supplying telehealth cancer care to further reduce the need for patients to travel too far from home. Telehealth enables the centre to provide expert cancer care to the greater region through video consultation with patients living remotely. The centre is
now also looking to increase access to clinical trials, giving people in the north more opportunity and hope. More recently, Icon Cancer Centre Mackay opened its doors in January 2018, bringing the first radiation therapy service to the Mackay region, which has already saved people in excess of 497,600 kilometres, and 5,390 hours of travel! The centre also provides chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies and treatment for blood disorders. Mackay treated their first stereotactic radiation therapy patient in December 2018, and just as in Cairns, patients can now receive advanced treatment while staying close to community support. Of late, the centre introduced yet another first, with the installation of an ‘isolator,’
CONNECT NOW iconcancercentre.com.au/cancer-care-centres/ Facebook: Icon Cancer Centre
Icon Cancer Centre Cairns Block E, Ground Floor Corner Lake and Grove Streets Cairns 4036 5200 admin.cairns@icon.team
a machine that allows short expiry medication to be manufactured on site that would otherwise necessitate people travelling to receive the same standard of care. The same machine is also available at Icon Townsville. Icon’s commitment to North Queensland has seen people like Mackay local Natalie Hine, experience a completely different journey to recovery than would have been possible only a year earlier. When first diagnosed with cancer, Natalie’s immediate thought was, “who would look after my kids for 5 to 6 weeks?” “Being able to receive my treatment locally was such a relief… I felt so grateful to be able to recover in my own bed, with my network and family close by.” Townsville Site Manager, Georgina Whelan, explained
that rebranding the three sites under the Icon Cancer Centre banner “will help patients in the North clearly identify their respective regional centres [as synonymous] with the treatment excellence provided by Icon Cancer Centre.” It’s perhaps Icon Group CEO, Mark Middleton, who best sums up the impact of Icon Cancer Centre’s establishment in North Queensland, stating, “it’s our firm belief that people should have access to quality care as close to home as possible.” Icon Cancer Centre provides radiation therapy to all patients, with no private health insurance required.
Icon Cancer Centre Townsville 9-13 Bayswater Road, Hyde Park 4795 7100 admin.townsville@icon.team Icon Cancer Centre Mackay 148 Sams Road, North Mackay 4961 3200 admin.mackay@icon.team
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