Albury Wodonga Cancer Centre Treatment Centre

This is a copy of my member’s statement delivered in the Victorian parliament this morning celebrating the spirit of cooperation that delivered the Albury Wodonga Cancer Treatment Centre …

‘It has been 2032 days, May 2011, since I rose in this house to celebrate the news of funding for a regional cancer treatment centre to serve the Benambra electorate.

Last Wednesday I was part of a ceremony that saw the $65 million centre – funded by the Commonwealth, supported by the Victorian health system and now a partnership between private and public health sectors – officially opened.

Each year in the Albury-Wodonga region about 1500 new cases of cancer are diagnosed.

Most of these patients were previously forced to travel hundreds of kilometres for diagnosis, surgery and follow-up treatment.

The new centre will expand services on the border and will house radiotherapy and medical oncology services as well as research and education facilities and a health and wellness centre.

This “world class” centre was only made possible through the co-operation and hard work of people within the community from both sides of the Border, by state and federal politicians along with the Border medical fraternity.

It is a triumph for the spirit of co-operation, the belief that we are stronger when we work together.’