CANCER PATIENTS' ASSISTANCE SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES
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Mission Statement
Can Assist is committed to ensuring that all people, regardless of where they live in NSW, have equitable access to cancer treatment and care. By providing financial assistance, practical support and raising awareness of the inequities, our volunteer network ensures that regional, rural and remote cancer patients are given the same opportunities and treatment choices as those who live in city centres.
About This Cause
On average across Australia 1 out of every 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2019). Residents of regional, rural, and remote Australia however fare significantly worse than average (Cancer Council NSW, 2020): not only are they more likely to contract cancer, but they are also more likely to die from it and will exhaust more financial resources accessing treatment (Aubusson & Cunningham, 2019). As per finding 12 of the 2021/22 NSW Upper House Inquiry into rural and regional health “Cancer patients [from rural/regional/remote NSW] face significant out of pocket costs which is resulting in patients experiencing severe financial distress and/or choosing to skip lifesaving cancer treatments’’ (New South Wales Parliament, 2022, p. 139). Operating with more than 3,000 volunteers across country NSW and a paid workforce in Sydney of just 7 full time equivalents, we typically deliver some $2.5-3.0 million annually in financial assistance to around 3,000 rural cancer patients in multiple requests from thousands of towns across country NSW. We assist patients of all ages with any cancer. Each of our 56 branches have been initiated by the local community, for the local community. We are a grassroots community charity. The geographic assistance area of each branch is self-determined. Dubbo Can Assist for instance assists west to Cobar and Bourke, north through Coonamble, Walgett and up to Lightening Ridge. Any cancer patient that falls outside of the country branch structure is assisted from head office. The difference we make is critical. As cancer patient Leonie James shares,“ $1200 in accommodation …food, transport, taxis… I just didn’t have that kind of money and Can Assist said, don’t worry we will help you” (Wilson, 2022). Can Assist also owns (in 50-50 joint venture with the NSW Cancer Council) and manages an accommodation facility in Wagga Wagga to house patients travelling there for treatment at the Riverina Cancer Care Centre. Many travel from long distances requiring daily treatments and Lilier Lodge provides a very low cost and comfortable accommodation option. We are funded roughly half /half via fundraising events and donations. We run over 500 events a year; from a local sausage sizzle to a large car rally or dinner event. Operating since 1955, we are well known across our communities and receive ongoing community and local business support. Apart from the odd competitively sourced grant, we do not receive any Government funding. Given the prolific geographic scope of our charity - we are a highly regarded source of information and insight for Government. We have been invited to testify before policy makers in each of the three most recent Government Inquiries that have taken place since 2022. We fight not only for today's cancer patients - but for tomorrows - and have played a significant role in recent key policy reform, including travel assistance schemes, regional radiotherapy infrastructure and regional private hospital out of pocket medical costs.