Page 3543 - Week 11 - Thursday, 24 September 2015
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It is also worth noting, as the MPI touches on, that we in the ACT, on a range of matters, must consider our role as the heart of the broader capital region, which can be considered to include from Berridale to Yass, Batemans Bay and the far South Coast. We very much are a regional hub. Mr Hanson spoke of the need for some people to travel, and this is a challenge for us. Do we seek to provide all the services here in the ACT, mindful of our role in the region, or is it best for us to perhaps cover some areas but recognise that some of the less common diseases in particular are better treated in somewhere like Sydney where a specialist might be able to cover an area that is a little more unique? When someone is affected by cancer they are probably not really interested in all of these policy discussions. They are interested in the immediate issues that face them and their families. I mentioned before the way it ripples through the community.
I think about charities like Ronald McDonald House—I went to a charity ball earlier this year—where they provide the accommodation to support the families who are coming to support the patients. I think about how important that is. A number of people spoke that night and said they came from rural and regional areas. They talked about the support they received in just getting accommodation in Canberra. We have seen a group seeking support through Lifecycle raising funds to build support accommodation for leukaemia sufferers here in the ACT. Again, it is great work from a whole lot of people. They have been very quick in reaching their fundraising goals. I congratulate them on that. It will be an excellent service.
In that context, and given legislation that I have proposed in this place, I want to reflect on the issue of the medical use of cannabis. When talking about that ripple effect and the way it goes through families, something that has come to my attention—which I would urge members of this place to continue to consider—is this: how might we assist people who are suffering from cancer who want to access this treatment and how do we deal with some of the difficult issues that raises?
Of course we all know of Dan Haslam and his mother Lucy, who recently featured in a significant article in the Canberra Times, and the stories of how families have sought to assist loved ones to access what is currently an illegal substance. This highlights the fact that when talking about cancer it is not just about the hospital end of the treatment; there are all the other aspects of it as well. I certainly think that that discussion has a long way to go. Of course, it is not suitable for everybody, but what does seem to be clear is that numerous patients find beneficial outcomes from being able to access that substance when they are suffering, particularly through chemotherapy.
I thank Ms Fitzharris for bringing this matter of public importance on today. It is good to reflect on cancer and how it impacts on our community in terms of both the necessity of having good treatment facilities and the way that it ripples through the community. So many people are affected by it, but so many people are working to assist those who are suffering and those who are affected by this disease.
I commend the many community organisations for their considerable effort in raising funds and providing support groups. I also commend the many medical professionals
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