- Published:
- Sunday 26 July 2015
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy today toured the $1 billion Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Project as part of Open House Melbourne.
Open House Melbourne is an annual event that gives Victorians rare behind-the-scenes access to some of the city’s most significant buildings.
The VCCC, which is due to be completed by the end of this year, will be a purpose-built state-of-the-art facility that brings together the world’s best researchers and clinicians and scientists to accelerate advances in cancer research, care and education.
From mid-2016, it will be a brand new home for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, with 160 inpatient beds, 110 same-day beds, eight operating theatres, two procedure rooms and eight radiation therapy bunkers.
The VCCC will also provide new cancer research and clinical facilities for Melbourne Health, and more than 25,000 square metres of dedicated space for over 1200 cancer researchers.
The Andrews Labor Government is committed to improving the care and treatment of Victorians living with cancer, and supporting medical research to advance diagnosis, treatments and care of cancer patients.
In the recent State Budget, the Government invested $2 million to develop a National Centre for Proton Beam Therapy to be based at the VCCC.
Proton beam therapy is one of the most cutting edge treatments available in the fight against cancer, however there are currently no proton beam therapy facilities in Australia or South East Asia.
The National Centre for Proton Beam Therapy will undertake both clinical treatment and world-class research, bringing together experts from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the University of Melbourne.
Through the Victorian Cancer Agency, the Government invests in projects and initiatives to rapidly translate research into treatments and develop approaches to improve clinical practice and care of cancer patients.
The Victorian Cancer Agency has recently opened the latest round of funding grants to support talented and emerging Victorian translational cancer researchers. More information can be found at www.victoriancanceragency.org.au/(opens in a new window)
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy
“Labor established this project in 2009 with a clear vision: a facility purpose-built to save lives and improve care and treatments for Victorians living with cancer.”
“It’s fantastic to see the VCCC taking shape. These state-of-the-art facilities will soon be a brand new home for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and thousands of researchers, all working together to better support cancer patients and their families.”
“The VCCC will be home to the world’s best clinicians and researchers and scientists, working together to accelerate advances in cancer research, care and education, for the benefit of people with cancer.”