News

New Peel Health Campus breast care nurse is on hand to help

Oct 08, 2019

Mandurah and the Peel region has a new breast care nurse at their disposal, with Moira Waters starting at Peel Health Campus in August 2019.

With the region embracing the McGrath Foundation's Pink Up Your Town initiative, Ms Waters said she was excited about her new role.

"I'm looking forward to continuing to provide support to people with breast cancer and their families in the Peel area," she said.

"I have some experience of the region from my role as a McGrath Breast Care Nurse at Breast Cancer Care WA."

Ms Waters said anyone diagnosed with breast cancer had options in relation to their treatment.

"Breast cancer care comes in so many forms and its treatment can seem complex - there is no one-size fits all approach," she said.

"It's important that support is provided not just for the person who has received the diagnosis but also their wider family.

"There is increased awareness of the emotional challenges for patients and their loved ones and how this can impact on mental wellness.

"Furthermore increases in the early detection of the cancer, improved treatment options and longer life expectancy means people are living longer with breast cancer.

"This is where the support of a McGrath Breast Care Nurse comes in.

"There are currently 135 of us across Australia but there is an ongoing demand for the services of nurses."

Ms Waters said it was really important to be a good communicator in her role.

"As well as providing emotional support, McGrath Breast Care Nurses can attend appointments and decode medical jargon to ensure patients are empowered to make critical decisions about their treatment," she said.

"We can also put people in touch with other relevant local services to ensure people have access to the support services they need.

"Many people don't realise the services of a McGrath Breast Care Nurse are available entirely for free and without a referral.