Community
26 July, 2026
Centre celebrates a decade of hope, healing and care
WARRNAMBOOL’S Icon Cancer Centre last week celebrated its 10th birthday.
Since first opening its doors to patients in 2016, the centre has treated almost 3,400 patients, delivering 23,500 episodes of care through its day oncology unit.
While the centre’s structure and fit-out is impressive in itself, even more so is the number of patients the care team has treated, with professionalism and dignity, over the past decade.
The centre has recorded more than 52,872 patient attendances; saving patients an estimated 4.88 million kilometres of travel for radiotherapy treatment – the equivalent of travelling around the Earth 122 times.
This has reduced travel time by around 8,050 hours (or 335 days), delivering an estimated $3.53 million in vehicle travel cost savings for patients and their families.
The 10-year anniversary was not only a celebration of the centre itself, but of the patients, clinicians, nurses, volunteers, supporters and community members whose collective commitment has transformed cancer care for generations to come.
Vicki Jellie, founder of the Peter’s Project Foundation, said she was extremely proud of the support and contributions the foundation was able to make to the centre.
“The Peter’s Project Foundation has not only financially supported the regional cancer centre in that time, but many other health services and cancer related needs throughout south west Victoria, benefiting so many in the region,” she said.
“There have been annual trust distributions given across the region, during those 10 years, from the Peters Project Foundation, equating to $2.3 million which is a great acknowledgement of our community’s generosity and the ongoing gift that keeps giving.”
Prior to the establishment of the South West Regional Cancer Centre, patients were required to travel to Geelong, Ballarat or Melbourne to access radiotherapy.
Today, patients can receive treatment, diagnostics, supportive care and aftercare much closer to home, reducing the physical, emotional and financial burden of a cancer diagnosis.
The establishment of the South West Regional Cancer Centre has created a single location where patients can access treatment and supportive care.
The past decade has also seen significant expansion of services to meet the changing needs of the region, including a dedicated Symptom and Urgent Review Clinic within the Day Oncology Unit, operating Monday to Friday and supported by a Cancer Support Nurse.
This service provides timely assessment and intervention for patients experiencing treatment-related complications, improving access to care and reducing the need for emergency presentations.
In 2020, South West Healthcare introduced a dedicated prostate cancer specialist nurse, creating a coordinated, evidence-based and patient-centred model of care for men affected by prostate cancer.
This role has enhanced care coordination, education and support while ensuring men across south-west Victoria can access specialist care closer to home.
Most recently a grant has supported the appointment of Aboriginal Cancer Care support officers to assist patients throughout the region in Warrnambool, Hamilton and Portland – including at the Cancer Centre – to improve the way in which our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community have access to cancer screening, as well as culturally-safe treatment and care, and end of life/ journey to dreaming care.
Icon Cancer Centre has delivered radiotherapy services, enabling patients to access high quality treatment locally that was once only available in larger metropolitan centres.
And more recently, McGrath Cancer Care has provided dedicated breast care nursing services, offering expert clinical support, education and compassionate care to patients and their families from diagnosis through to survivorship, which has now expanded into all cancer streams with two dedicated nurses.
Peter’s Project has continued to champion local cancer care, ensuring the community’s original vision remains at the heart of the service while advocating for continued investment in cancer treatment across the region.
Epworth runs the haematology service to provide local care to patients with blood cancers and blood disorders.
Together SWRCC partners have created a collaborative model of care that has significantly improved access to specialist cancer services while allowing patients to remain close to the support of family, friends and their local community throughout treatment.
As the South West Regional Cancer Centre enters its second decade, the partners remain committed to continuing to expand access to high-quality cancer care, embracing innovation and ensuring people across south-west Victoria and neighbouring South Australia can continue to receive exceptional treatment close to home.
Speaking at the 10th anniversary celebrations last week, South West Healthcare chief executive officer Craig Fraser commended all those involved with the centre over the past decade, including staff and volunteers.
“It’s incredible to think that the centre has been in operation for 10 years now,” he said.
“Establishing a complex and multi-disciplinary site can take time to embed, but it feels as though recent years have seen the centre move ahead in leaps and bounds, as the partners come together to offer integrated and complimentary support to our community.
“I hope that in the next 10 years we see these services grow and reach out further into the region so that more people from all over the south-west can have access to world-class cancer care, as close as possible to the comforts and supports of their home and families.”
Icon Cancer Centre Warrnambool site manager Anton Sanseviero said over the past decade the centre has had the privilege of caring for thousands of local patients and their families during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
“The Icon team is proud to be part of a centre that has made such a significant difference to cancer patients in the south-west Victorian community,” Mr Sanseviero said.
“We’re excited about what’s ahead as Icon continues to invest in the latest radiotherapy technology, ensuring people have access to world-class care, no matter where they live.”
Epworth executive general manager Scott Norman said that while the past decade had been an extraordinary journey, he was equally excited about the future.
“We will continue to invest in our services, our people and our partnerships, with a relentless focus on clinical excellence, innovation and delivering outstanding care for our community,” he said.
Over the past decade, the South West Healthcare team has:
Supported 1710 patients through the Cancer Support Nurse Service, with 80 per cent within Warrnambool, Moyne and Corangamite shires;
Provided over 8,000 support occasions through the McGrath Breast Care Nurse;
Prepared 16,640 lunches for patients receiving treatment;
Discussed 1,650 solid tumour cases through the Warrnambool multidisciplinary meeting.
