From left to right
Julia Murphy (CNM – Peri-op Services), Wuss Harvie (DPU RN), Glenys Sandoval (DPU RN), Lorraine Ross (DPU RN, Educator), Kellie Warren-Pollard (DPU RN) and Hayley Morum (WBCC RN).
Over 300 Administration Trips Saved
For the past year, Chemotherapy has been offered locally to save our cancer patients the trauma of travel every time they receive treatment.
The service was made possible by the support, cooperation and input of the cancer chemotherapy services at Capital & Coast and MidCentral DHBs, and funding and volunteer support from the Cancer Society.
There are some treatments that are still required to be administered in the main centres for clinical reasons. The local chemotherapy service is not for every patient, not every treatment, not every time because, to receive optimal care, some travel is required for some patients.
As time moves forward, we hope more and more treatments will be able to be provided right here in Masterton.
To commemorate the Chemotherapy Outreach Service one year on, Julia Murphy, Charge Nurse Manager – Perioperative Services, organised an afternoon tea yesterday for Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre, Mid Central District Health Board, Cancer Society, and to the staff involved in the service.
Julia told the group that the year has gone fast. The service has administered over 300 chemotherapies during this time, which means over 300 trips have been saved from the discomfort and inconvenience of having to travel over the hill or to Palmerston North to receive treatment.
Chemotherapy needs to be administered regularly, and travel places unwelcome pressure on patients who are already unwell.
Eight local staff are trained to administer chemotherapy, all now certified.
Wairarapa District Health Board thanks all those who have made this happen:
Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre staff.
Mid Central DHB.
Anne O’Donnell, Medical Oncology ConsultantCCDHB for her support and her nomination for an award 'Excellence in Clinical Care' alongside Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre. (The award is for teams or individuals who have improved health outcomes, patient safety, patient experience, access, equality or health literacy).
All the volunteers from the Cancer Society.
Cancer Society, for donating a chemotherapy fridge, chairs, a laptop and trolleys.
DPU and Community Staff.
All the staff doing such a great job.
Special thanks to absent Tom Gibson and Jill Stringer, for without them and their passion to make this happen, we would never be here.
