Telstra Prescribes Partnership w Cancer Hospital
16 February 2004 at 12:02 pm
The prescription for a successful corporate community partnership is in mixing like-minded ideals and goals according to Telstra while announcing its new relationship with nationally acclaimed cancer centre, the Peter Mac, in Melbourne.
Telstra’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ziggy Switkowski, announced a $1 million partnership with Peter Mac. Most of the funding will be used to implement a pioneering program to improve co-ordination and delivery of services for adolescents and young adults with cancer.
Dr Switkowski says Peter Mac is an ideal partner because of its emphasis on excellence, innovation and compassion.
He says Telstra is committed to making a positive and lasting contribution to the lives of young Australians.
The new program – an Australian first – will target the specific needs of adolescents and young adults with cancer.
The Peter Mac Cancer Centre says that over the next 3 years, this groundbreaking program will:
– provide coordinated medical, psychological and support services to address the needs of young people with cancer, regardless of where they live in Victoria
– conduct research to develop and implement national best practice guidelines for cancer care for this age group
– encourage and support adolescent and young adults with cancer to participate in national and international clinical trials
– involve patients, their carers and consumer groups in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the program.
Dr Maree Sexton, Chair of Peter Mac’s paediatric, adolescent and young adult cancer services and Director of the program, says adolescents and young adults with cancer face unique physical, social and emotional challenges.
These include the impact of cancer diagnosis and treatment on their social development, peer relationships and educational and employment opportunities. that psycho-social and educational services are an integral part of the program.
Dr. Sexton says Peter Mac will be consulting with patients and their families to identify their needs. Organisations like CanTeen, The Cancer Council Victoria and The Centre for Adolescent Health will also provide invaluable services in conjunction with the program.
She says that collaboration with other cancer services was essential to the success of the program, initially at the Royal Children’s Hospital, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and St Vincent’s Hospital.
As the program develops, they envisage collaborating with all cancer services in Victoria. The service aims to ensure that young people with cancer get the best treatment wherever they are treated and wherever they live.
Telstra’s partnership with Peter Mac is an initiative of the Peter Mac Cancer Foundation which was established in March 2002 to facilitate the goals of the Peter Mac Cancer Centre. To date, the Foundation has secured financial commitments worth more than $5.6 million to support cancer treatment and research at Peter Mac.
