With 1/3 of blood cancer patients in our support program living in regional areas, the Leukaemia Foundation is working to provide additional support services to patients outside of metropolitan areas.

The Leukaemia Foundation provides Australia’s only dedicated blood cancer support service. With 135,000 families facing blood cancer today, we provide a range of practical and emotional support services to help them navigate the many challenges of a diagnosis.

When somebody receives a blood cancer diagnosis, many are forced to immediately put their life on hold to begin treatment, and are faced with additional costs and pressures associated with it. For patients and their families living in regional areas, these pressures are only amplified.

With 1/3 of blood cancer patients in the Leukaemia Foundation’s support program living regionally, it’s clear that more needs to be done to bridge the gap between metropolitan and regional communities – and ensure equitable access to support for all Australians.

In addition to providing accommodation and transport services to regional patients and families who are forced to relocate to metropolitan areas for treatment, the Leukaemia Foundation also provides Telehealth support services for those living regionally.

We also collaborate with an expansive network of Health Care Professionals who service regional communities, to ensure their needs are met. Simone Thomason works at the Central West Hospital and Health Service in Longreach, QLD, and we spoke to her about referring regoinal patients to the Leukaemia Foundation.

Q: What Leukaemia Foundation’s services do you access?

I refer to the Leukaemia Foundation for accommodation, information resources on diseases, and financial and transport assistance.

Q: What message do you have for other Healthcare Professionals considering referring patients to the Leukaemia Foundation’s telehealth services?

A patient referral to the Leukaemia Foundation’s services will help spread the care and support network that a patient and their carers can engage with. In doing so, it will enable the front-line health workers to complete other tasks knowing we have the support of the Leukaemia Foundation team who are invested in sharing the load of care for the patient.

Q: How important is it for patients in regional areas to get quick and easy access to blood cancer information?

It’s imperative, because often, regional communities have limited or poor mobile reception and internet coverage. So having timely access to resources assist those who are geographically isolated, or overwhelmed about having to engage with specialists in the fast-paced urban locations and organisations.