Cancer Council welcomes announcement of Cancer Australia

The announcement of a management structure for the Federal Government’s new agency, Cancer Australia, represents an important advance in the battle against Australia’s biggest killer, The Cancer Council Australia said today.

Cancer Council Chief Executive Officer, Professor Alan Coates, said he welcomed the announcement, made by the Minister for Health, Tony Abbott, which had the potential to make asignificant impact on controlling cancer in Australia.”Around 270,000 Australians are living with cancer and more than 36,000 die each year from themany forms of this disease,” Professor Coates said.”Cancer Australia will be well placed to take up the fight against cancer as an integral part of the Federal Government’s Strengthening Cancer Care package, which represents an unprecedented government commitment to reducing the impact of cancer in Australia.”Work is currently being undertaken on a number of fronts to improve cancer prevention andtreatment, but there is no centralised body to help facilitate these efforts nationally.””Cancer Australia may be able to play a hands-on role in coordinating work on cancer researchand the development and implementation of guidelines in areas such as patient care and theaccreditation and credentialing of cancer professionals and treatment centres.”Professor Coates said he hoped the Government’s consultative approach would continue. “It is important that people who have direct experience in treating cancer or being treated for their cancer are thoroughly consulted about the development of Cancer Australia,” he said. “The Government has already shown a willingness to do this in a preliminary workshop and we look forward to future opportunities to be involved in the agency’s development.”(Source: Cancer Council: November 2005.)