Currently there are hundreds of Sunshine Coast biliary, oesophageal and rectal cancer patients travelling to Brisbane each year to receive diagnosis of the ‘staging’ of their illness, but hopefully that will all change thanks to the upcoming Wishlist Spring Carnival Lunch on September 19.
The high-profile lunch which this year includes Rob Mills, Mark Berretta, Natalie Barr and Joh Bailey in the line-up, has become one of the most anticipated on the Coast and will raise funds to purchase an Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) for the Sun
[caption id="attachment_256" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Peter Waugh, Acting Clinical Nurse Consultant for the Gastroenterology Service, Procedural Suites at Nambour General Hospital and Clinical Nurse, Mark Crocker with the EUS.[/caption]shine Coast Gastroenterology Service.
Wishlist CEO Lisa Rowe said the organisation has been committed to improving the Sunshine Coast public health services for the past 16 years and is thrilled that this new piece of equipment will make such a difference to people’s lives.
“The information gathered from the ‘staging’ process determines the stage of the disease, which delivers a treatment plan and consequently more effective treatment and management of the illness,” Ms Rowe said.
“With the EUS, patients will be able to receive care closer to home allowing them to be nearer to their support network and reduce the strain of travelling to Brisbane.”
Peter Waugh is the Acting Clinical Nurse Consultant for the Gastroenterology Service, Procedural Suites and explains that there is an undeniable need for this service on the Coast.
“The EUS when used in conjunction with other modalities such as CT, PET and MRI is recommended by all the key international cancer advisory groups to assist in the accurate assessment of patients with potentially curative malignancies,” Mr Waugh said.
“The EUS provides a safe method of obtaining definitive staging and can be used to make tissue diagnosis for patients with resectable upper gastrointestinal malignancies allowing clinicians to make appropriate, evidence- based decisions regarding care.”
“Not having an EUS on the Coast results in delayed diagnosis, significant inconvenience to patients who are already suffering from emotional and psychological stress and additional financial costs like travel and accommodation required when receiving treatment away from home.”
The EUS will cost $96,774 and Ms Rowe feels confident that this target will be achieved thanks to the generous support of business people from across the Sunshine Coast who not only donate prizes but also bid on them on the day.
“Last year’s event saw guests raise over $150,000 in about four hours, which funds the diversional therapy program in Nambour Hospital’s children’s ward, bringing in Delta dogs, music therapists and yoga therapists to help brighten the day of kids spending time in hospital,” Ms Rowe said.
“This year we are excited to have one of the highest valued auction items that has ever been on offer – a $21,000 holiday kindly donated by Go Transit, with flight vouchers donated by the Poole Group,” Ms Rowe said.
“The Cook Islands holiday is for six adults either travelling together or separately so there is an opportunity for people to bid collectively on this fabulous prize,” Ms Rowe said.
“The ultimate indulgence holiday includes five nights accommodation in the luxurious bungalows at Rarotonga's deluxe private pool villa, Villa Onemaru, located less than 400 metres west of the Cook Islands' renowned signature resort, The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa, right on Rarotonga's preferred sunshine southwest coast.”
Other major auction items going under the hammer on the day include an Australian Open tennis package in the ANZ Marquee in Melbourne, 100 bottles of wine from Travis Schultz’s private cellar, a BMW Drive Package on Phillip Island, a Joh Bailey Experience including lunch with Kerri-Anne Kennerley, bilateral laser eye surgery by Laser Sight, advertising packages from Hot 91.1, Zinc 96.1, Go Transit and the Sunshine Coast Daily, artworks by Raelean Hall and Kendall and TV ad production by Sound Images.
For the first time this year, silent auction items can be viewed and bid on ahead of the event. Please visit http://galabid.com/auction/wishlist and register to start bidding.
For more information, please visit www.wishlist.org.au.
