McGrath nurse appointed to the region
19 Jun 2017
19 June 2017
While Liz has been funded by SJGBH as a Breast Care Nurse for one day a week since 2007, her most recent appointment through the McGrath Foundation will now see her serving the needs of breast cancer patients in the local community for three days a week.
McGrath Breast Care Nurses are health professionals specially trained to manage the care of breast cancer patients throughout the course of their treatment. They are the principal liaison between the patient and the specialists who coordinate their treatment—whether it be surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
They also play an important advocacy role as well as helping to clarify technical or complicated information that the patient may not understand. Most importantly, McGrath Breast Care Nurses offer vital emotional support to the patient as well as being a friend for the patient and their families during what can be extremely difficult times.
“We are so pleased to have Liz on board with us for a further two days a week through the generous support and funding from the McGrath Foundation,” said Lisa Evans, Director of Nursing at SJGBH. “The physical, psychological and emotional help she can offer our patients and their families from the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment and recovery is an invaluable resource to our local community.”
Liz brings over 20 years of nursing experience to her role as a McGrath Breast Care Nurse and is looking forward to the rewarding, but sometimes challenging, nature of her role.
“I am passionate about providing quality care for all women and men diagnosed with breast cancer in our community,” said Liz, adding that, “I feel very privileged to develop my role as a McGrath Breast Care Nurse while being given this opportunity to provide emotional and psychological support to patients, their family and/or carer throughout their breast cancer experience.”
The McGrath Foundation has placed 117 Breast Care Nurses in communities across Australia since its inception in 2008. The free service has supported over 50,000 families so far.
“Our goal is to ensure that every family affected by breast cancer has access to a McGrath Breast Care Nurse, no matter where they live—for free,’ said Tracy Bevan, spokesperson for the McGrath Foundation.
“While the majority of our nurses are in rural and regional parts of Australia, there’s a growing need for the service in metropolitan areas, so we’re happy that Liz can provide this crucial service to families experiencing breast cancer in the Casey-Cardinia region.”