Breast cancer is estimated to be the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the most common cancer for Australian women, affecting one in eight Australian women before the age of 85.
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Last week the Coalition Government announced $20.5 million in new funding for McGrath Breast Care Nurses to ensure ongoing support for people being treated for breast cancer.
Macksville Health Campus is home to the only McGrath Foundation Breast Care Nurse in the Cowper electorate – a very important resource to have servicing our region.
Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker said that it’s estimated that more than 16,000 people will be diagnosed - over 15,900 women and 150 men – this year alone.
“The Government’s commitment of $20.5 million over four years from 2017-18 will fund up to 57 of the McGrath Foundation’s nurse positions in approximately 55 locations across the country, with most of these working in regional and rural communities,” Mr Hartsuyker said.
“McGrath Breast Care Nurses provide physical, psychological and emotional support to people diagnosed with breast cancer, their families and carers – starting from diagnosis and continuing throughout their treatment.
“The services provided by McGrath Foundation Breast Care Nurses are vitally important to the many breast cancer sufferers in our regional area.”
Since 2013, Commonwealth-funded McGrath Breast Care Nurses have supported around 15,000 Australians and their families.
This new four-year extension to the Government’s previous funding agreement with the McGrath Foundation of $18.5 million will ensure this valuable support and coordination of care continues for patients with breast cancer.
The funding announcement is in addition to the Government’s 2015 listing of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medications for secondary breast cancer: pertuzumab (Perjeta®), trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla®) for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.
Without Government subsidy these medicines would cost consumers more than $82,700 per person each year to access.
Last month the Government also listed Tamoxifen (Nolvadex-D) on the PBS as a treatment to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women identified with a moderate to high lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.
