MESOTHELIOMA sufferers can access better treatment options following upgrades to an Osborne Park facility.
The Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia (ADSA) has refurbished its Main Street premises with a $25,000 State Government grant.
Chief operating officer Melita Markey said the upgrades enabled it to maintain regular asbestos exposure health checks, specialist medical referrals, facilitate support, counselling and education services.
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READ NOWIt has created a new testing room where it can screen for exposure to asbestos, which Ms Markey said would free up their doctor.
“These are really sophisticated treatment facilities now,” she said.
“The big change is in the treatment for asbestos disease; people are living longer and we’re helping them have the best quality of life.”
She said WA had the highest number of mesothelioma suffers in the world per capita of population and the incidence of asbestos-caused diseases was rising.
“There is still no cure however treatment of the diseases to minimise the pain and suffering and extending lives of some of the asbestos patients is the main aim of the caring staff of the ADSA office, and indeed caring WA doctors and nurses,” she said.
“While we continue to work hard in fundraising to support medical research we believe providing a facility which provides additional comfort and support for members, patients, carers and families is absolutely essential.”
The centre will also run workshops next year for patients with mesothelioma, their carers, nursing professionals and bereaved carers.
They will be run by former GP and asbestos-related diseases researcher Helen Clayson, who wrote The Mesothelioma Handbook.