World Lung Cancer Day marks the launch of a new national helpline Australians wanting to know more about the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) can call.
Lung Foundation Australia, Australia’s national peak lung health and lung cancer organisation, will operate the National Lung Cancer Screening Program free-call helpline – 1800 654 301 – which is funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
It is estimated almost 500,000 Australians will be eligible to participate in the first year of the program.[1]
Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke said there had already been a lot of interest and curiosity about the new lung screening program.
“We’d encourage anyone with questions to call the helpline so that more people are able to be screened. The earlier the program can diagnose people, the more lives can be saved,” he said.
“When a person calls the helpline, our experienced nursing team will be on hand to support and guide callers to resources and services that can help them navigate the national screening program or access other services to support any screening findings.”
The helpline will be bolstered by more than 20 years of experience providing support to people at risk or living with lung disease or lung cancer.
For Anne, Chair of Lung Foundation Australia’s Consumer Advisory Committee and also living with Stage 4 lung cancer, said it will help people feel less isolated.
“To know that you can pick up the phone and have an experienced nurse at the other end to answer your questions is invaluable to everyone.
“Lung Foundation Australia’s nurses have a wealth of experience to deal with the questions of those who have been diagnosed, are wanting to be screened, their family and loved ones. This is an essential role in the whole screening process.”
Information about the National Lung Cancer Screening Program including patient resources can also be found online at health.gov.au/our-work/nlcsp
People can call the helpline from 8am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday or leave a message to have their call returned as soon as possible.
Lung Foundation Australia, the only charity and leading peak body of its kind in Australia, enables life-saving lung health and lung cancer research, championing programs so that Australians with lung disease and lung cancer can live their best life.
[1] https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/nlcsp-participation-modelling?language=en
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