The Cancer Society’s planning a Queenstown-based one-stop-shop for cancer patients providing all the support and services they need.
Southern Cancer Society chief executive Nicola Coom unveiled the plan for a Central Lakes Cancer Centre while visiting town for the society’s Relay for Life fundraiser last Saturday.
‘‘We’re down here to scope the Queenstown cancer centre, which I think is really exciting,’’ she tells Mountain Scene.
‘‘There’s no one I’ve spoken to that suggests a cancer centre’s not required — the need’s there.’’
Demand for the society’s Central Lakes services has in creased 46% over the past 12 months, she says.
‘‘The rate of cancer diagnosis is increasing, and in the next 10 years it’s going to double, and there’s a much higher rate of young adults being diagnosed.’’
The cancer centre would be a home for not just the Cancer Society, Coom says, but anybody providing community cancer services like physiotherapists, mental health services and nutritionists.
‘‘The idea is to make the cancer journey less fragmented, so people don’t have to go to lots of different places to get all their support.
‘‘The other part is having a centre people can come to and get what we call cancer navigation services, so someone will walk with them for the entire time of their cancer journey.’’
The Queenstown centre would be modelled off the society opened in Christchurch last October – it also includes accommodation for out-of-towners which could be considered here, Coom says.
She’ll have an idea of what the centre will cost in about three months’ time but will be looking for anchor donors and partners.
“The Cancer Society will contribute some funding, but we don’t have the funds to cover the whole thing.”
A possible location, she says, would be at Kawarau Park, between Shotover Country and Lake Hayes Estate, which already includes a medical precinct and ample parking.
Meanwhile, the society will pilot its digital cancer portal in Queenstown — allowing people to access cancer services online — in about six weeks’ time.
