The importance of support throughout cancer diagnosis, treatment and beyond

Maroochydore local Liwei Thompson shares her experience with nonsmall cell lung cancer and how Icon Cancer Centre Maroochydore’s newly appointed Cancer Care Coordinator Laura Hanlon has helped her every step of the way.

For 53-year-old Liwei Thompson, a non-small cell lung cancer diagnosis in March of this year was met with complete disbelief and shock. Like many others who receive a cancer diagnosis, she was gripped by a fear of the unknown and had no idea what would happen next.

“It felt like the end of the world. I thought: do I need to organise my funeral? I couldn’t talk about my diagnosis and only confided in close family. It was really hard to accept,” Liwei says.

Life after a cancer diagnosis can be a whirlwind of appointments: seeing different medical specialists, blood tests, imaging, and only then does treatment begin. Liwei says that it was during her first consultation with her medical oncologist at Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital (SCUPH) and subsequent meeting with her radiation oncologist and cancer care coordinator at Icon Cancer Centre Maroochydore that she felt a sense of calm-in-the-storm, and was provided education and reassurance that her cancer could be treated.

Liwei went on to receive weekly chemotherapy at SCUPH alongside concurrent radiation therapy at Icon Maroochydore which she completed earlier this year. She says it was thanks to the support of Laura Hanlon, Icon’s Cancer Care Coordinator, that she was able to cope throughout this difficult time.

“Every time I came to Icon, Laura always helped me to feel better and like everything was going to be okay. I felt like she really cared. She referred me to a Mandarinspeaking psychologist and exercise physiologist, and helped me manage side effects throughout my treatment. She knew me, and I could put my trust in her.”

Dr Bryan Chan, Liwei’s medical oncologist was also impressed by the support Liwei received from Laura and the cancer care coordination service during her treatment.

“It is so great to see Laura bring her knowledge and skills to a vital role that is patient-centred, evidence-based and greatly assists patients to get through their treatment,” Dr Chan says.

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“Without a cancer care coordinator, going through treatment would be chaotic. It’s such a scary time and you have a lot of increased anxiety. You don’t see your doctor every day, but I would see Laura and could tell her my concerns and get reassurance from her expertise. It meant I didn’t have to repeat anything, she would communicate everything with the whole treating team and allied health professionals.

“Laura and the team at Icon treated me like family. I am so lucky.”

Personalized Support At Icon

Icon Cancer Centre Maroochydore is committed to supporting the Sunshine Coast community to access the best possible care, close to home. Our dedicated cancer care coordinator is here to support you from when you receive your diagnosis, throughout your treatment and beyond. To learn more about how Laura can help you, contact Icon Maroochydore.