The Hon Mark Butler MP
Minister for Health and Aged Care
The Albanese Government today launched the Cancer Hub - a national one-stop digital hub that will change the way young Australians access cancer-related services.
The Cancer Hub will, for the first time, provide online counselling services to children under 12 with cancer, and their parents. It builds on Canteen Connect's current service, which provides online counselling to people 12 to 25 years, seven days a week.
The new Cancer Hub, a partnership between Canteen, Camp Quality and Redkite, will mean people under 25 years and their parents can access immediate, consolidated, and tailored cancer navigation, counselling and support services.
The Albanese Government has provided $3.3 million to Canteen to deliver the Cancer Hub until December 2023. This includes $1.8 million to continue the Canteen Connect service until 31 December 2023; and $1.5 million to deliver a cancer navigation service until 31 December 2023.
The Cancer Hub will help more than 70,000 Australians navigate the cancer journey and help a further 20,000 with mental health support.
It will also provide financial assistance and accommodation.
The Cancer Hub will mean staff on the ground in every major capital city and in some regional centres.
Digital access aided by dedicated navigators and counsellors will ensure that young Australians with cancer, and their families, can get the right support as close to home as possible - and in the shortest timeframe.
Comments attributable to Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler:
"The Cancer Hub is an important step forward in the ongoing fight against child and youth cancer."
"I pay tribute to Canteen, Camp Quality and Redkite for their steadfast commitment to supporting children and young people with cancer and their families - a commitment which the Australian Government shares."
"We have a long-standing relationship with Canteen, with the Rudd Government providing its first funding in 2008 - part of what was then a record level of support for cancer-specific programs. Our support for such programs has never wavered."
"The Albanese Government will continue to invest significantly in childhood and adolescent cancer across the cancer care continuum."
