"Been around the traps."

Due to my need for treatment of cancer and other health issues, I have been the recipient of many services over the years through WACHS Broome.

Every three weeks, I attend Fiona Stanley Hospital Perth to see my oncologist and to receive chemotherapy. In between times, if I’m well enough, my soul mate looks after me at home.

I have reflected on these cancer services, and watched the care of other patients in the same boat, and talked (back in the days when I could talk) with them and their families… I am also a very good listener! I have concluded that having trained nursing staff to administer chemotherapy in Broome would be a huge cost saving for the organisation and a lot more comfortable for us patients and our carers. I am meant to stay away from people with infections yet I sit on a plane to and from Perth, surrounded by people coughing and sneezing for hours. I leave a warm climate and arrive in a cold one at peak Influenza time. The trips and transfers around Perth are far worse than the chemotherapy.

All the staff at Broome Hospital are very supportive. They would love to have a Chemo room and to be trained up to administer the Chemo drugs – safely, of course. In its future planning, has the senior management of Broome Hospital thought how this service could be achieved? From how I see things as a patient, providing local cancer treatments would save money, stress and time, preventing much inconvenience physically, emotionally and financially on families. I for one would prefer to have treatment in Broome and spend my remaining days of life as quality time with those people I love rather than on an aeroplane travelling thousands of kilometres away, back and forth.

I want to acknowledge the kind, thoughtful and friendly care we receive at Broome Hospital – attentive, respectful, compassionate, and personable. When she visits, my wife is always looked after and everyone offers to help, no matter how busy they are. I spend a lot of time in and out of hospital, so this means so much to us.

I would be interested to hear your plans for the future to lessen the need to travel to Perth for cancer treatment. Is anyone listening to the patients?