LORETTA Belton fought five years ago for a hospice in Swan Hill knowing cancer didn’t discriminate.
The Swan Hill health campaigner then contested the biggest battle – for her life.
Now the fight for a cancer and wellness centre has been made a little easier thanks to the recent generosity of a late former hospital employee.
“Everyone deserves the same care, love and support, and no one knows when they will need it,” she told The Guardian in 2016.
“Cancer does not discriminate.
“You don’t know if or when you or your loved one might be the person who gets it (cancer).”
With the hospice (Sub Acute Care Service) up and running at Swan Hill District Health (SHDH), Ms Belton is focusing her energy into supporting the cancer and wellness centre.
Plans for the centre were announced last week following a generous donation of $1.2 million from former staff member Elva Piper, who passed away in 2018.
SHDH chief executive Peter Abraham last week said the centre would “put cancer services around the person, instead of the person to the services”.
“It is needed to provide a welcome and comfortable space and a feeling of mindful escape for cancer patients and their loved ones, giving them somewhere to turn to during an extremely difficult time in their lives and addressing the shortfall and growing demand for this kind of service within our region.
“The emphasis on wellness is about survivorship, surviving that cancer experience and ensuring families are connected to care and services.”
Ms Belton said the generosity from the Piper family “goes beyond words”.
“What a fantastic facility it would be for Swan Hill, and not just this town but the wider catchment that it covers, including New South Wales,” she said.
“It would save so much travelling because you are already fatigued and unwell.
“If you are having chemotherapy and radiation, your immunity drops so low.”
Ms Belton said a “one-stop cancer shop” would also minimise the risk of being infected with other diseases.
“It would keep you away from having to go to a GP clinic or into the hospital as the main stream where you are around other people who are ill, where you could pick up diseases very easily,” she said.
Ms Belton said there were a plethora of cancer specialists in Swan Hill, but not in a central location.
“We have in Swan Hill a breast cancer nurse, support group, cancer doctors visiting us, a wig service, cancer co-ordinator and a social worker,” she said.
“But they aren’t all in one location, so to be able to go to one spot would be awesome.
“This cancer wellness centre will be wonderful … save time from travel, keep patients with their support networks, with their family and friends.
“They won’t be waiting outside for you after driving two hours to Bendigo.”
A cancer wellness centre was Ms Belton’s next plan of attack following the success of the hospice.
“Thanks to the Piper family, I won’t have to do that, and can support it,” she said.
“It will be bigger and better than I would ever thought about.”
Ms Belton was diagnosed with stage one grade four hormone positive ductal breast cancer in 2019.
“What that means is it was small and nasty, and I had absolutely no idea as it was growing deep in my breast,” she said.
After numerous surgery complications, Ms Belton had a double mastectomy.
“I am one of the lucky ones to have survived my journey as there have been many I have met along the way that are sadly no longer with us or are still fighting,” she said.
“I don’t even want to think about where I would be if I had delayed my treatment and I encourage everyone not to put off their regular screenings and follow up anything that is concerning to them.”
