A tireless seven year crusade by oncothermia cancer treatment advocate, Boggabri’s Jenny Barlow, was crowned with success when the Jenny Barlow Oncothermia Clinic was officially opened at Prince of Wales Private Hospital in Sydney last week.
The opening by Senator Connie Fierravanti-Wells, the Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health was the culmination of years of work and dogged persistence by Jenny.
She embarked on her journey to have oncothermia treatment accepted and supported in Australia following the death from cancer of her husband Ross in 2006.
Jenny has drawn wide support from the Narrabri Shire community, the north west, across Australia and overseas where she has travelled many times researching the treatment and gathering data and co-operation from medical scientists.
Her determination to see
oncothermia introduced to Australia as another option for the treatment of cancer was realised in November last year when the clinic began treating the first of around 250 patients.
Thursday’s official opening was an emotional day for Jenny.
“It is about giving the Australian public more options for cancer treatment, choices,” she said.
Mrs Barlow welcomed patients who have been receiving treatment at the clinic, especially Cassandra Nascimento and her parents Joe and Gloria.
“Cassandra was diagnosed with a brain tumour three years ago when she was only 16 and she is having treatment at our clinic,” Jenny said.
“It is so wonderful that she has this option without having to travel overseas.”
Also attending the function was Gunnedah’s Tommy Burns, who had oncothermia treatment in Germany after a diagnosis of fourth stage pancreatic cancer.
“He is now 18 months down the track and receiving follow-up treatment at our oncothermia clinic in Sydney,” Jenny said.
“I am very thankful that both Cassandra and Tommy attended – it is their courage that gives me the drive to keep going.
Jenny also expressed her gratitude to Professors Michael Jackson and Carl Munoz-Ferrada who have long supported her campaign for the introduction of the oncothermia treatment in Australia.
“Others have come and gone but Michael and Carl have put in five long years,” Jenny said.
“I am also thankful that Southern Radiology has come on board, especially Dr Luke Baker, who is now involved in the treatment.”
Professor Munoz-Ferrada said that if it had not been for Jenny they would have given up after facing so many obstacles.
Seven years have passed since Jenny first started speaking about the treatment, six months after her husband Ross died from cancer in February 2006.
“It seems sometimes to have taken too long,” she said.
“So many people told me it was impossible, so I have to be thankful and keep looking at how far we have come, not how far we have to go.
“I am most certainly aiming for a Medicare rebate, which will only come after multiple studies are done by the best researchers – if we want the best, we need to be prepared to pay for the best.
“We will need some sort of assistance from the Federal Government as well as philanthropic help – asking for what I asked for seven years ago.
“A test of society is looking after our sick, I have never asked for the help for myself, I find it hard to ask but I believe cancer patients need a voice.
“I strongly believe there has been wastage with duplication of studies at world level – we have to work together across institutions and charities, there has to be some common thread to pull together.”
Jenny said that a large group of a particular cancer is what is really needed for a study, with patients at mixed stages.
“So often it happens that patients only choose this treatment when it is too late,” Jenny said.
“Often they have been told to go home and die – and that’s where Connie was very genuine talking about what it is like to be given the diagnosis, it is almost a cliché that everyone has been touched by cancer.”
Although she is now battling her own health problems with kidney disease, Jenny is determined to continue the fight and never give in until she sees oncothermia as an established medical treatment for all Australians to choose if they feel they need it.
“We should be leaders not followers – more and more Australians are travelling to Europe and I have to ask which of the politicians is going to listen and act.”