PLANS for a wellness centre for cancer survivors to be established at Brewongle have been lodged with Bathurst Regional Council.
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Not-for-profit organisation Vitality Central West has proposed the centre to be built on a 24-hectare lot on Tarana Road to foster a network of support among cancer survivors, their families and health professionals.
The first stage of the development will involve the conversion of an existing dwelling to provide consulting rooms and a rehabilitation space while future development will see six free-standing cottages built on the site for use by cancer survivors and their families for respite and recovery.
A Statement of Environmental Effects (SoEE) lodged with council says the planned centre would be home to a range of services for people as they continue on their cancer journey.
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"The proposed wellness centre is a dedicated space where anyone with a current or past diagnosis of cancer, and their support persons, can access a range of specialist practitioners and services," the SoEE states.
"The aim is to create a survivorship community hub, which will foster a network of support between cancer survivors, their families and health providers.
"The centre will provide access to a range of care that will promote and maintain physical, mental and emotional health and well-being, and support individuals as they live with, through and beyond cancer."
It is proposed to will operate from Monday to Saturday, 8am-6pm with between four and six staff, including visiting consultants, on-site at any time.
The accommodation cabins, once built, would not be staffed but would be available seven days a week for people attending the centre to stay close to the available services and programs.
According to the SoEE, it is proposed that a range of medical and allied health professionals would make use of the centre, including:
- An oncologist who specialises in cancer survivorship care to provide individualised care plans tailored to each client's specific needs.
- A rehabilitation doctor to make recommendations in areas such as pain management and improving a client's ability to function from day to day.
- An accredited exercise physiologist to help design and deliver effective individualised exercise programs for clients.
- A lymphoedema practitioner to advise on skin care, exercises, manual lymphatic drainage (MLD), and compression bandaging.
- Other practitioners, including clinical psychologists, nutritionists and massage therapists.
Vitality Central West chair Richard Collins, who co-founded the organisation with wife and chief executive officer Victoria Stevens, told the Western Advocate in May that the facility would fill a void in cancer survivorship services in the Central West.
"The Central West has ample services for chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, but the long and short-term side effects of cancer can be quite toxic, not only physically, but mentally," Mr Collins said.
"With no dedicated cancer survivorship centre currently in the Central West, we're hoping to fill that gap."
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