Wimmera Medical Centre colposcope provides early detection to assist in the prevention of cervical cancer
A donation from Wimmera Health Care Group Foundation will assist in the identification of cervical pre-cancers.
A $20,000 colposcope was donated from Wimmera Health Care Group Foundation to the Wimmera Medical Centre. Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Yakep Angue said the colposcope will provide better detection and earlier diagnosis of pre-cancer abnormalities on the cervix.
“It will increase the chance of finding abnormal cells if they are present,” Dr Angue said.
“The new machine is clearer which makes spotting abnormalities a lot easier.”
Wimmera Health Care Group Foundation chair Graeme Hardman said the colposcope the Medical Centre team were using was due for replacement.
“The machine was 24 years old and had broken down three times in the last year, which took several weeks to fix, resulting in many appointments being cancelled,” Mr Hardman said.
“A new machine was definitely required and will improve the screening process which is vitally important in the detection of cervical cancer.
“The Wimmera has very high rates of cancer and the donation follows on from the donations to the Wimmera Cancer Centre.
WHCG Foundation raises funds through donations, bequests and fundraising. These donations are invested wisely and only the income earned is used to fund special projects at both the Horsham and Dimboola campuses, which directly benefit the people of the Wimmera, guaranteeing the highest quality health care.
“The Foundation is happy to donate the funds for this piece of equipment as it will help people be treated more effectively,” Mr Hardman said.
Navigator Wireless Gamma Probe System for Sentinal Node Identification (are you able to use the photo on the website?)
A large donation from the Wimmera Health Care Group Foundation means more people will be able to avoid major surgery to remove lymph node glands as part of their cancer treatment. A $50,000 donation from the foundation went to purchasing a Navigator Wireless Gamma Probe System for sentinal node identification.
Surgeon Nikki Campbell said this meant people could have a procedure locally that targeted affected lymph nodes, instead of removing all the lymph nodes in the armpit. “This is obviously a smaller operation than removing all the lymph nodes, so that means less recovery time. Also having the surgery closer to home, loved ones and support networks is so important,” Ms Campbell said. “Also, when you don’t remove all the lymph nodes there isn’t the same risks of complications such as lymphodema. We are very thankful the foundation has purchased this equipment.”
Foundation chair Graeme Hardman said they were happy to donate to a piece of equipment that will help more people be treated locally and in a less invasive way.
“This is a great investment and is in line with our support of the Wimmera Cancer Centre and it reinforces the foundation’s vision to provide quality healthcare in our region,” Mr Hardman said. “The new surgical equipment will provide our community with the most up to date treatment for breast cancer and melanoma patients, eliminating some of the need for patients to travel large distances to receive treatment. “Statistics show one in three people in the broader Wimmera region will be touched by cancer, making it so important we have treatment available in our regional health centre.