IT is fitting cancer treatment in the regions will be pushed as an issue in the 2015 NSW election.
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Access to and affordability of treatment are crucially important for people in the Orana region fighting a potentially fatal illness.
A spotlight on their problems is long overdue.
And it is time politicians were forced to deal with the challenges and find suitable, lasting answers.
Much of the time, the issues are bogged down in talk of high costs, streamlined efficient services (which never seem to meet the promise), bureaucratic double-speak, self-serving spin and budgets.
And little happens.
Cancer is only one area of concern in the regional health treatment debate. Sufferers of other serious illness face similar issues.
The Cancer Council NSW has outlined five issues for the political parties: co-payments on chemotherapy, improving services for Aboriginal people, increasing palliative care services, addressing the sale of tobacco and access to care co-ordination.
There are other issues including: the long distances Orana patients have to travel to get treatment in Orange or Sydney; accommodation costs there; the pitifully small government refunds for such trips; the lack of treatment facilities closer to home; and the emotional impacts on victims and their families.
Other support organisations should put their concerns squarely to the politicians and demand answers and solutions.
Enough noise might see the election winners actually do something to fix things. But, get any promises in writing.