Children living with cancer in regional NSW will be able to receive care closer to home, thanks to a $100,000 funding boost for the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation.
The funding, announced today by Health Minister Ryan Park, will go towards the James Tedesco Outreach Program, run by the Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital (SCH), Randwick.
“Having the ability to deliver care closer to home, reduces the inequity experienced by regional, rural, and remote families with children and adolescents living with cancer.”
“This initiative enables children to receive care and treatment in their local communities with the support of their local healthcare networks, while allowing children to remain in the comfort of their homes, supported by their families.” said Minister for Health Ryan Park.
The program is led by outreach nurses, who work closely with local medical teams and local GPs involved in a patient’s care to provide children, adolescents and their families with necessary support and practical assistance, saving them from having to travel hundreds of kilometres.
“I’ve been a patron of Sporting Chance for a number of years now and I’m very proud to be involved in this charity and to see first-hand the service they provide for kids and families in need and the difference they make.” said James Tedesco, Patron of Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation.
In 2022, the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation pledged three years of support to fund an Outreach Clinical Nurse Consultant for the James Tedesco Outreach program. The role, which officially started in April this year, is supporting families and helping with the establishment of new outreach centres. The additional $100,000 funding boost will help continue this important work.
The Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation provides almost one million dollars a year to major children’s hospitals across Australia, including SCH and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, to support Clinical Nurse Consultant positions for outreach programs for children living with cancer.
Named in honour of Sporting Chance patron, James Tedesco, the James Tedesco Outreach Program provides support and education to regional and rural patients, communities and hospitals.
The Kids Cancer Centre cares for more than 200 patients and families from regional NSW and the ACT every year, with all of these families able to access outreach services.
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