Accommodation boost for country cancer patientsFebruary 11, 2009 |
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The Cancer Council Western Australia’s new accommodation facility for country cancer patients, officially opened by Governor Dr Ken Michael today, will help to fill a major need in the rural and regional community.
The new 26-room Milroy Lodge in Shenton Park will ease pressure on the Cancer Council’s existing country patient accommodation in Nedlands, Crawford Lodge, which has had a waiting list of up to 400 people a year for a number of years.
“Crawford Lodge and now Milroy Lodge are an important part of Western Australia’s health infrastructure, providing home-like accommodation for thousands of country people every year,” said Cancer Council President, Professor Christobel Saunders.
“There is huge demand for this type of accommodation that is comfortable and most importantly, affordable, where country cancer patients and their carers can stay while they are in Perth,” Professor Saunders said.
For the past 30 years the Cancer Council has provided country patient accommodation, first at Anstey House at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, then from 2000 at AH Crawford Lodge and now Milroy Lodge.
“Providing these services is part of the Cancer Council’s role in serving the community and we are only able to do so because of the enormous amount of support we receive from donors and the Western Australian community,” Professor Saunders said.
“Through the generous support of our donors we able to keep the room charge in line with the Patients Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) subsidy, which currently is $60 a night. While the subsidy has recently been increased, it would be difficult to find a room in a Perth hotel for $60 a night.”
Around 20 per cent of all new cancer cases or almost 2,000 cases a year are people from regional and rural WA and most of these patients need to leave their homes and loved ones to travel to Perth for treatment.
Just in the past year, more than 2, 600 cancer patients and carers have stayed at Crawford Lodge. It’s expected that Milroy Lodge will accommodate around 1,000 people every year.
Crawford Lodge is named after Algernon Henry Crawford, a sheep farmer from Brookton who lost his mother, an aunt and other relatives to cancer and wanted to ensure country cancer patients received the support they needed when going to the city for treatment.
Along with his wife Doreen and sister Dorothy, they formed the AH Crawford Cancer Treatment Society in 1976. Their farming properties in Brookton and Esperance became the foundation of the trust when they passed away.
The AH Crawford Cancer Treatment Society made a significant financial contribution to the establishment of Crawford Lodge, and again have given financial support for Milroy Lodge.
The new facility is named Milroy Lodge in honour of Mr Crawford’s farming property in Brookton.
A 12-month building and redevelopment project has seen the former Cottage Hospice in Shenton Park transformed into this home away from home for country cancer patients and carers.
There are 24 single rooms and two family rooms along with fabulous facilities such as communal kitchens, a dining room, a theatre room, gymnasium and a lending library with internet access. Guests will also have access to free patient transport.
The Crawford Society has generously contributed $2 million to the Milroy Lodge redevelopment. This was boosted by a $500,000 grant from Lotterywest.
A special theatre room created for the enjoyment of the guests was funded by a private donation.
“As cancer rates continue to rise, there will be more and more demand for services and support for people with cancer. The Cancer Council WA is committed to ensuring that cancer patients, including those from rural and regional WA have access to the care and support that they need during their cancer experience,” Professor Saunders said.
Audio:
Audio grab - Cancer Council WA President Professor Christobel Saunders talks about Milroy Lodge
(Right click on link to download)
Images:
High res image - Cancer Council Accommodation Services Manager Ann Holmes and country cancer patient Sheila Pierpoint from Broome in one of the rooms at the new Milroy Lodge
(Right click on link to download)
