Families of children diagnosed with cancer can from today access a website that offers “step-by-step” guidance and “puts the disease into perspective”, Cancer Australia chief executive Dr Helen Zorbas says.
The Federal Government said 650 children would be diagnosed with the illness each year — and 85 under the age of 15 would die.
The Children’s Cancer website, Dr Zorbas said, “gives an opportunity to understand what the treatments might be, what the tests might be, what the follow-up might be, and what a child might anticipate through the process.
“So it addresses questions such as ‘what might I expect, why did this happen to me, what might my future be like?'”
Dr Zorbas said the website would offer information at a time that was distressing, confusing and confronting for families.
“It’s information that’s trustworthy and credible and people, either their immediate family or friends or part of the school community, can find the information that helps them to support that child,” she said.
Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley said the new resource was the first of its kind in Australia.
“I want this website to be that one-stop-shop to give them the information about the particular types of cancer that their child has,” she said.
“What the latest treatments are … what clinical trials are happening … and link them with the advice and support that they need to keep themselves strong.”