Fight for Life

CANCER. Just the word sends fear into the minds of anyone who has ever experienced it... conjuring up tormenting memories for others.

It's the country's biggest killer. And it can strike at anytime, devastating lives and families in years, months or even weeks. But there's good news - survival rates are improving every day and new technologies are now more than ever giving people who once had no hope, a real chance of defeating the disease.

But for one group of Australian cancer patients, the road to remission and ultimate recovery is a little harder than for others. Patients in the NSW Central West region are battling to get the treatment they need. And are having to turn their lives upside down weekly to have the same chance as everyone else.

"The treatment only takes about ten minutes...  if you were in Sydney, you would have your treatment and go back to work" said Dr Stuart Porges, a General Practitioner in the city of Orange.

The rural patients don't have access to radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment unless they travel to Sydney. The trip takes up to five hours for some people.

"It's not fair that our patients aren't being afforded the same chance as everyone else" said Dr Porges.

"We need the appropriate facilities to treat cancer sufferers here, to save them from the stress and trauma associated with leaving home for treatment."

A cancer patient receiving a weekly chemotherapy treatment

A band of other local doctors agree. And they've taken the fight to Macquarie Street to demand action be taken immediately. The group is calling for state of the art facilities to treat patients locally and more consistently. But it's a promise the State Government can't make.

"We have the reality of living within a budget, so whatever the resources are we have to make sure we use them wisely", said Health Minister John Della Bosca.

"We need to make sure we're delivering as much good public medicine and health to people where they live".

It's not enough for patients though, so they've set up a group to lobby the Federal Government for funding. If successful cancer clinics would be built in Orange, Bathurst and Dubbo.

But the fight is far from over.