Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not much else in this world is more chilling to hear than a cancer diagnosis. Cancer can feel like, and may well be, a death sentence. It can mean that the creature comforts of everyday life are ripped away instantly. That's despite the incredible advancements in modern medicine and treatment options ensuring that more and more people are survivors. However, the reality is that most people who receive a cancer diagnosis spend a lot of time in clinical settings such as hospitals, surgeries and emergency departments. Remember the last time you were in one of those settings, with the white walls and the incessant beeping of medical equipment? They may be necessary for medical treatment but are not conducive to rest.

The comforts of home can help relieve the stresses of treatment following a cancer diagnosis, and it's the comfort of home that Cancer Council Tasmania replicated at its Northern Cancer Support Centre, the first of its kind in Australia, which this year celebrates 10 years of operation. This is a remarkable milestone that deserves recognition, as do the many hundreds of volunteers who have been volunteering throughout that time. The centre provides around 1,500 sessions of support to its clients every year and was designed to be a homely space. It brings the comforts of home into a non-judgemental space, where clients and their families can rest and take stock of what they are enduring and what is to come next.

The Northern Cancer Support Centre offers a range of evidence based resources and also provides access to a wig library for those who are struggling emotionally with the loss of their hair during treatment. There are many reasons why the Northern Cancer Support Centre should be celebrated, but the most important reason is this: if you live in northern Tasmania and are going through your own cancer journey, you are always welcome at this Launceston based centre. It's more than a building; it's a community.