December 2011
Youth Advisory Board members
Phoebe Lindner, Ediz Banacan and Chair Kylie Lewis.
Peter Mac’s young patients get some space
The ONTrac at Peter Mac centre
enables them to meet with friends or family, share conversation and lunch or
just sit comfortably to watch TV – away from the often-confronting
hospital environment.
The ONTrac at Peter Mac service
is dedicated to the needs of 15 to 25-year-olds with cancer.
Design of its new space has been
driven by the Victorian and Tasmanian Adolescent and Young Adult Youth (AYA) Advisory
Board, the first of its kind in Australia.
Kylie Lewis, AYA Advisory Board
chair and former Peter Mac patient, was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma at the
age of 19 and also lost her brother to cancer.
‘At an age when friendships,
body image and social life are of such importance, the impact of a cancer
diagnosis is devastating,’ said Ms Lewis.
‘A space such as this, during my
own and brother’s treatment, would have allowed for further support from peers
going through a similar situation.
‘Interactions between young
people living with cancer offer a strong support as we can acknowledge, relate
to and understand each other’s experiences.
‘As a result of my personal
experiences and my determination to see continual improvement of health care
services for adolescents and young adults, I see it as a privilege to be a part
of AYA.’
Peter Mac won a 2011 Victorian
Public Healthcare Awards for establishing the Victorian and Tasmanian
Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Consumer Advisory Board.
Minister for Health David Davis
said the board enabled the voices of young people, with a cancer experience, to
guide service development.
‘The needs and experiences of younger people being treated for cancer are unique and pose particular challenges and opportunities for health services.
