Fully funded by generous donations to St John of God Foundation, the Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) equipment is now supporting advanced treatment options for breast cancer patients at St John of God Subiaco Hospital.
In April 2020 Debra Strauss became the very first Subiaco patient to benefit from the innovative technology, and shares her thanks with Foundation donors for making this treatment possible.
Your generosity has made a real difference for me, and improved my cancer treatment at a time when being with loved ones is more important than ever.
I'm so grateful that I can spend more time at home to recover, relax, and spend time with family. Thank you.
Our very first IORT treatment (7 News Perth)
Your nerves come over you a little bit, and you think to yourself, what will this mean? To have it [treatment] just one time, I mean, it's amazing. - Debra Strauss.
IORT treatment reduces a patient's treatment time from between three to seven weeks of daily radiation, to a single, targeted treatment that is administered during the surgical removal of breast cancer.
After a patient’s tumour is removed, and before the incision is closed, radiation is delivered to the area where the tumour was located to provide a precise therapeutic dose where local recurrence is most likely to occur.
Generous donations to St John of God Foundation continue to support St John of God hospitals to offer the latest in advanced treatment options for patients in our communities.
IORT supporter Robert Carcione of the Carcione Foundation, said, “My family has had a strong connection with St John of God Subiaco Hospital for more than 30 years. It’s a pleasure to be able to give back to the hospital and to the community, a value which was instilled in us by my father”.
Learn more about the Foundation’s current projects, or make a donation to support an area of greatest meaning to you.