Council supports petition calling for local public radiotherapy unit

Wyong's Mayor has encouraged local residents to sign a petition supporting the establishment of a public radiotherapy unit for Central Coast Cancer patients.

Councillor Bob Graham said the petition closed on January 28 and petition organisers, Cancer Voices NSW, hoped to table it when Federal Parliament resumed in early February.

Download a petition (Text - 39 KB) which you can sign and mail to the address at the bottom of the form.

“Last year, Councillors voted to support this very worthy campaign and it’s now over to residents to voice their concerns and take this cause to the highest level,” Mayor Bob Graham said.

“Council have agreed to have the petition displayed at our Customer Service Centre here at Wyong and also at our local Libraries around the Shire and all that remains is for the public to get behind it as many signatures as possible are taken to Canberra.

Councillor Graham said that, Central Coast residents with Cancer had waited too long for the treatment options they deserved.

“Even in this day and age, only three options are available to patients living on the Coast.

“That is, they can pay for private treatment available to them locally which comes as a great financial burden during a terrible period of their lives, they can travel to either Sydney or Newcastle, at their own expense each and every day for up to seven weeks or they can make the incredibly difficult decision to forgo this potentially lifesaving treatment altogether.

“It’s about time somebody stood up and made a stand for locals and I congratulate Kathy Smith and her team at Cancer Voices NSW for the effort in organising this petition and ensuring it is heard.”

Mrs Smith said she hoped the petition drew the attention of Federal politicians to the plight of local cancer sufferers.

“For a long time now, locals have experienced considerable hardship and been forced to travel long distances or pay for treatment at a private clinic,” Mrs Smith said.

“That’s why we are asking the Federal Government to provide funding for the establishment of a public radiotherapy unit on the Central Coast.

“Last year, we conducted a petition calling on the State Government to provide funding for such a facility and while they acknowledged the urgent need for a public unit, no funding commitment was ever forthcoming.

“We have since been approached by Federal Member for Robertson Belinda Neal who has proposed lodging the petition from Central Coast residents with Federal Parliament with a request for funding and it’s an opportunity that can’t be missed.”

The petition can be viewed and signed at Wyong’s Customer Service Centre at Hely St Wyong and also at all Wyong Shire libraries.

Residents have until Wednesday, January 28, to sign the petition.

Media contact:Cameron Bell - (02) 4350 1667

Page last updated: 13/01/2009