Cancer Support Services
Mater Health and Wellness Cancer Support Services is a hospital-based private clinic, focused on providing a quality continuum of care for people affected by all cancer types and experiences. We realise that cancer can impact people in differing and significant ways, and we aim to offer holistic support around the emotional, physical and functional impacts of diagnosis and treatment. Through Health and Wellness you can access a range of services with clinicians holding field specific experience, from the disciplines of psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and dietetics. Our holistic and patient centred approach offers the opportunity to think about many aspects of your wellbeing during or after treatment.
Nutrition and Diet Support Services
Our dietitians are focused on helping to optimise wellbeing through nutrition for our cancer patients through supporting with:
- Individualised nutrition advice to manage symptoms impacting appetite
- Optimising nutrition status before, during or after treatments
Occupational Therapy
Our Occupational Therapists can provide assessment and intervention to support your wellness throughout your cancer treatment phase and recovery after treatment. Areas that our Occupational Therapists focus on include:
- Memory and attention issues
- Peripheral neuropathy impacting your engagement with everyday life.
- Anxiety related to procedures such as needle cannulation, portacath access, CT scans
- Lymphoedema
- Learning mindfulness skills that assist with resilience and stress management-both individual and group programs available
- Return to work support and guidance
Physiotherapy Services
Clinical research has established exercise as a safe and effective intervention to counteract the adverse physical and psychological effects of cancer and its treatment (e.g. loss of muscle strength and fitness, fatigue, stress). Our experienced physiotherapists can guide you in developing an evidenced based management plan. Such plans are tailored to your individual needs and include; assessment, strategies for physical symptom management and appropriate exercise prescription.
Physical symptom management
Our Physiotherapists provide assessment and treatment for:
- Loss of general strength and fitness
- Fatigue
- Altered sensation and balance
- Pain when moving, stiffness, swelling
- Post-operative complications (e.g: cording, scar sensitivity, adhesions and restriction of movement)
- Continence symptom management (bowel and bladder)
Exercise prescription:
The Clinical Oncology Society of Australia call for exercise to be embedded as part of standard practice in cancer care. Read more about this initiative here.
You can start exercising anytime during or after your cancer treatment. However, early adoption of exercise helps prevent deconditioning of your body and promotes tolerance of your treatments.
It is optimal for exercise to be prescribed under the direction of a Physiotherapist with experience in cancer care.
Our Physiotherapy team can offer:
- Individual and group support
- Access to gym facilities
- Flexible services including telehealth and home visiting
- Tailored programs to suit your individual abilities and stage of treatment
- Rehabilitation plans that facilitate return to work and sport readiness
- Advice and education to maximise wellness and quality of life
Psychology services
Our Psychologists are available to support you with:
- Adjusting to a diagnosis of cancer and coping with stressors related to treatment
- Low mood and anxiety related to cancer and its treatment
- Chronic and acute pain management
- Health changing behaviours such as increasing motivation to exercise and having a healthy diet.
- Fear of cancer recurrence
- Personal growth—building self-esteem and confidence, identifying values and beliefs