Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on behalf of one of my constituents, Gerry Hodges, whom I spoke with yesterday from Daw House Hospice.

Gerry has been diagnosed with a rare cancer in his stomach. It has metastasised and he has only a few months to live, according to doctors. Gerry wanted me to raise the importance of this parliament and our community in dealing with the issue of rare cancers. He did say that he recognises that this is not an easy issue. It is expensive to provide treatment and therapy for rare cancers when they affect so few people. But he did say, and I agree with him, that as a community we do need to look at how we ensure that people who are suffering from rare cancers and other rare diseases get the treatment they need.

Gerry said that it will be too late for him, but he wanted to raise on behalf of others just how important it is for this issue to get the attention of the parliament. He praised Rare Cancers Australia as a good voice for people such as himself. He believes that society does need to look at this, that we do have a response and that these people are not forgotten.