A NEW prostate cancer support nurse will be based in Tamworth, filling a gap which has been empty for three years.
A specialist prostate cancer nurse was based in Tamworth until 2015, but the position was terminated when previous funding dried-up.
Groups in Tamworth have been lobbying to reinstate the position for a number of years.
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The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) is currently recruiting for the job with a number of candidates shortlisted for the role.
It’s believed the nursing role will be funded for three years.
PCFA was able to reinstate the role following donations from The Profield Foundation and an anonymous donor.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian men.
PCFA’s Prostate Cancer Specialist Nurses help patients understand their prostate cancer diagnosis, what to expect and connect them with services to address the challenges that they may encounter along the way.
“Prostate cancer is a special issue for regional and rural communities, where men are 21 per cent more likely to die of their prostate cancer than those living in our cities,” national chairman Jim Hughes said.
“PCFA is incredibly grateful for these donations from The Profield Foundation and others which will ensure that the men of the New England Region and their families get the support they need, when they need it most.”
Since the nursing service was established in 2012, PCFA has worked hard to expand its community and government funding model to make service more widely available.
PCFA previously had a specialist nurse located in Tamworth up until 2015 but was forced to discontinue the position when the funding concluded.
Michael Field, Chairman of The Profield Foundation, said that they felt compelled to support this important initiative.
“The Profield Foundation would like to see PCFA realise their goal for every man in Australia to get access to this life-changing expert nursing-support when they are diagnosed with prostate cancer,” Mr Field said.
“When PCFA explained to us the urgent need and that two-in-three men are currently missing out, we were really keen to ensure that specialist support was available to the men of the New England area.
The Profield Foundation was pleased to play our part and also that others have joined us in making this happen.”
The new nurse will be hosted by Peel Regional and Rural Health Services and will be based at the North West Cancer Centre at Tamworth Hospital.
The specialist nurse will act as the main point of contact for men and their families, supporting them with any issues or concerns related to their prostate cancer and treatment.
PCFA urgently needs to fund and place more specialist nurses in regional Australia.
If you would like to contribute, then you can do so online at pcfa.org.au/ruralnurses
Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is opinions editor for The Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. As part of the Canberra Times' production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth where he kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
