Ballarat hospital opens $15M cancer radiotherapy upgrade
Grampians Health installed two new Varian TrueBeam linear accelerators. This lets 150 extra patients per year get radiotherapy treatment locally.
Grampians Health opened two new radiotherapy machines at its Ballarat cancer centres. This was part of a $15 million upgrade.
The Varian TrueBeam linear accelerators replace decade-old machines. They are precise to within 1mm.
This protects healthy tissue around tumours. The new machines can treat an extra 150 patients yearly.
Patients don't need to travel to Melbourne for care. Patients getting radiotherapy often need daily treatment over several weeks.
The machines use imaging to map a patient's whole body, not just four reference points. They rotate faster to attack tumours from different angles.
Funding came from $3.5 million in state support, Austin Hospital capital, and federal and local contributions.
- $15 million
- Project cost
- $3.5 million
- State funding
- 150
- Extra patients treated yearly
- within 1 millimetre
- Beam precision
Why it mattersRegional cancer patients can now stay in Ballarat for complex treatment. Before, they had to travel to Melbourne. This reduces the burden during vulnerable times.
AustraliaPeople across western Victoria with cancer can now access advanced radiotherapy locally in Ballarat instead of making frequent trips to Melbourne.
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