Mandurah's new $10 million comprehensive cancer treatment centre has officially commenced development and is expected to open to patients in the Peel region within months.
The Mandurah Mail broke the news in August 2018 that the region's first specialist cancer centre offering much-needed radiotherapy, would open in 2019.
Currently, for Peel residents in need of radiotherapy treatment, the Icon Cancer Centre in Rockingham is the closest facility.
However, GenesisCare WA's new purpose-built oncology centre, “within walking distance” of Peel Health Campus, will bring state-of-the-art radiotherapy and chemotherapy services to Mandurah when it opens later this year.
The facility will feature a high-end linear accelerator capable of delivering the latest radiation oncology techniques and will have the capabilities to treat up to 1000 patients a year.
Patients will be treated by local healthcare professionals under one roof with access to free parking on site, free survivorship clinics and an exercise clinic.
Palliative care services are also expected to get a boost from the centre.
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The facility comes at a time when treatment is urgently needed in the area, with cancer incidence numbers in Peel higher than the national average, making it an Australian cancer 'hotspot'.
Mandurah mayor Rhys Williams said the centre was great news for the region.
“The centre will mean an end to long and often daily commutes for our local community and make a substantial difference to their treatment journey,” Mr Williams said.
WA GenesisCare Oncology Services general manager Michael Davis said his team were "excited" to reveal development was already underway.
“We are thrilled to bring a purpose-built, comprehensive facility to the Peel region for residents, who have previously had to travel long distances to access these treatment services while having to also deal with the burden of their cancer diagnosis,” he said.
"The linear accelerator will be installed by March, before we expect to treat our first patients in mid-2019.”
The centre will be located near Peel Health Campus, on the corner of Kookaburra Drive and Minilya Parkway.