Children living with cancer in regional NSW will be able to receive care closer to home, thanks to a $100,000 funding boost for the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation.
The funding, announced today by Health Minister Ryan Park, will go towards the James Tedesco Outreach Program, run by the Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children's Hospital (SCH), Randwick.
The program is led by outreach nurses, who work closely with local medical teams and local GPs involved in a patient's care to provide children, adolescents and their families with necessary support and practical assistance, saving them from having to travel hundreds of kilometres.
In 2022, the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation pledged three years of support to fund an Outreach Clinical Nurse Consultant for the James Tedesco Outreach program. The role, which officially started in April this year, is supporting families and helping with the establishment of new outreach centres. The additional $100,000 funding boost will help continue this important work.
The Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation provides almost one million dollars a year to major children's hospitals across Australia, including SCH and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, to support Clinical Nurse Consultant positions for outreach programs for children living with cancer.
Named in honour of Sporting Chance patron, James Tedesco, the James Tedesco Outreach Program provides support and education to regional and rural patients, communities and hospitals.
The Kids Cancer Centre cares for more than 200 patients and families from regional NSW and the ACT every year, with all of these families able to access outreach services.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
"I'm really proud to offer our support to the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation through a $100,000 grant for its James Tedesco Outreach Program.
"Having the ability to deliver care closer to home, reduces the inequity experienced by regional, rural, and remote families with children and adolescents living with cancer.
"This initiative enables children to receive care and treatment in their local communities with the support of their local healthcare networks, while allowing children to remain in the comfort of their homes, supported by their families."
Quotes attributable to Member for Coogee Marjorie O'Neill:
"I'm really thrilled the NSW Government is supporting the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation's James Tedesco Outreach Program based at the Kids Cancer Centre in Randwick.
"The ongoing generosity and work of the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation plays an important part in supporting some of the youngest members our community dealing with cancer."
Quotes attributable to Mark Taylor, Chairman of Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation:
"As the current Chairman and a Patron of the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation, I'd like to thank the NSW Government for the support of our wonderful nurses. Their work across NSW with kids diagnosed with cancer and their families has an extremely positive impact within the family unit and is often life changing."
Quotes attributable to James Tedesco, Patron of Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation:
"I've been a patron of Sporting Chance for a number of years now and I'm very proud to be involved in this charity and to see first-hand the service they provide for kids and families in need and the difference they make."
Quotes attributable to Dr Richard Mitchell, Director of the Kids Cancer Centre:
"While it's incredibly challenging having a child diagnosed with cancer, it makes it even harder when you are away from home. Sadly, this is the case for almost half of the patients we see.
"Our outreach program aims to relieve this burden and ensure children can receive the care they need as close to home as possible."
