Daily buses for M'boro, Bay patients to Bundy radiotherapy
WORK is ahead of schedule to put the finishing touches on the Wide Bay's first radiotherapy service - and Maryborough and Hervey Bay patients will have daily access.
The $11.3 million Oceania Oncology site in Bundaberg recently welcomed the delivery of a lifesaving linear accelerator machine.
Oceania Oncology general manager Chris Inggs said both public and private patients could benefit from the service.
"We will also run outreach clinics in Hervey Bay and will run a daily patient transport bus through both Hervey Bay and Maryborough to facilitate access for patients in these communities," he said.
Mr Inggs said the machine was important in the battle against cancer.
"The linear accelerator is a multi-million dollar machine capable of delivering very high energy X-ray beams which can be targeted to the cancer with a high degree of precision and accuracy," he said.
"In addition, our service will utilise powerful computers and clinical software to calculate and determine the best radiation plan for each patient."
Cancer Council Queensland's head of operations and governance Rhonda Earel visited the site last week.
"This is an important facility for cancer patients in Wide Bay and will save many patients from making the lengthy trip to Brisbane for treatment," she said.
More than 1300 people in the Wide Bay are diagnosed with cancer each year.
The numbers
- $11.3million project
- More than 1300 people in the Wide Bay diagnosed with cancer each year
- Daily patient transport to Bundy for Maryborough and Hervey Bay residents