Cooktown woman Melissa Gibson says the new Cancer Care Co-ordination Service will be a great support for those navigating life with cancer like her. Photo: Supplied.
Getting a cancer diagnosis can be frightening, especially when you have to be away from everything you know to undergo treatment, but a new program will offer additional support to Cape York and Torres Strait patients.
Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service (TCHHS) and Mookai Rosie Bi-Bayan announced the launch of their new Cancer Care Co-ordination Service earlier this month, which was designed to provide culturally safe social and emotional wellbeing care to First Nations people navigating their cancer journeys.
Cooktown woman Melissa Gibson, who was diagnosed with terminal lung and gastrointestinal cancer in 2023, and is now attending regular oncology appointments in Cairns, said additional support from people who understood Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture was vital.
“When I was diagnosed, I was shocked, and had no idea what to expect,” she said.
“I think any extra support you can get from people who understand our culture is going to be helpful, because it can be scary to leave community and come to Cairns, especially for older people.
“This new service is going to be a great support for a lot of people in our communities.”
Mookai Rosie Bi-Bayan chief executive officer Theresa Simpson said the primary role of the joint service, which was launched after the two organisations were successfully awarded an $880,000 grant over three years from Cancer Australia, was to support patients who travelled to Cairns for treatment.
“Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be life-changing, and we want to make sure these patients feel supported and understood while they navigate their health journey in a potentially unfamiliar environment,” she said.
“Our organisation will be able to deliver social and emotional wellbeing care to these patients through our dedicated and experienced social work team.”
TCHHS chief executive Rex O’Rourke said the service would aim to take on the entire cancer journey, starting with proactive engagement in First Nations communities about their health.
“The aim of this service is to offer person-centred, culturally appropriate care closer to home, empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across their cancer journey, whether that be prevention and early detection, through to treatment, survivorship and palliative care,” he said.
“We have launched this service with key goals to increase the number of patient referrals and follow-ups, and increase community engagement in screening, which will assist in reducing hospital admissions and emergency presentations.”
