A $166 million boost to Australia’s cancer services announced by the Federal Government today will save lives and help improve outcomes for thousands of families.
The nation’s lead lung health and lung cancer body has welcomed the commitment made during Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which includes 100 new generalist cancer nurses and improved cancer telehealth funding.
Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke said the announcement, flowing on from the government’s new Australian Cancer Plan, was another great step in a year of strides for the lung health community.
“Lung Foundation Australia has advocated tirelessly to even the playing field when it comes to equitable outcomes for cancer diagnoses and treatments in our country, and we know the more investment in vital services like cancer nurses, the greater the benefits and savings on the health care system in the long run,” Mr Brooke said.
“We again commend the Albanese Government for their commitment to tackling lung cancer through a targeted national lung cancer screening program which was announced earlier this year and will save thousands of lives. If Australians with lung cancer are diagnosed at Stage I, their five-year survival rate nears 70 per cent.
“Lung Foundation Australia thanks Minister Butler for his acknowledgement of the lung health community today and look forward to continuing to support and guide government and policymakers in achieving full implementation of the Australian Cancer Plan, to improve lung cancer outcomes for the nation’s biggest cancer killer.
“As we highlighted in our Lung Cancer Scorecard 2023. funding for lung cancer still does not match its burden – we’ll keep working every day to make sure lung cancer and lung disease is equitably recognised.”
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For media enquiries please contact:
Lung Foundation Australia Media and Communications Specialist
Anna Hilton
0408 191 192