A DEDICATED oncology unit has been opened at the Mater Private Hospital Redland.
The Mater Cancer Care Centre, officially opened on May 16, will boost local oncology services and allow patients to access specialised services including cooling caps without having to travel to Brisbane.
The current private oncology service provides treatment for more than 200 patients a year, across three days per week, and this will expand to five days in the new Mater Cancer Care Centre Redland.
Director of clinical services Tracey Hutley said the centre was built to cater for the increased demand for private day oncology services.
"Since the service began in 2013 we have seen significant growth which has allowed us to expand this important service to help more patients within our local community," she said.
Ms Hutley said the centre meant that patients could be cared for in a specialised facility instead of being treated in an inpatient ward.
"Patients will greatly benefit from being treated in Mater Cancer Care Centre Redland as it is a purpose-built space designed to improve the patient's experience while undergoing cancer related treatment," she said.
The centre will also offer patients the option to use a scalp cooling system to lower the potential impact of hair loss as a result of chemotherapy treatment.
"We have had some of our patients go to Mater at South Brisbane as they wanted to try scalp cooling and we are very pleased to now offer this service locally," Ms Hutley said.
Giles Stimson is one local cancer patient who will receive treatment at Mater Cancer Care Centre Redland.
"The space is welcoming and it's dedicated to cancer patients like me," Mr Stimson said.
Mr Stimson, who was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer in December 2018, is thankful he could receive treatment close to home.
The diagnosis came as a shock to Mr Stimson, his wife and two children when a scan for a chest infection picked up tumours in his liver.
"Often tumours in the liver mean it's a secondary cancer so they investigated further and my specialist found a tumour in my large intestine," he said.
"It was an absolute bombshell but what made the knock so much easier was finding out that I could receive treatment at Redland, and not have to travel to Brisbane."