World Radiotherapy Awareness Day (WRAD) aims to raise awareness of the crucial role radiation therapy play in treating cancer and to advocate for improved global access to this life-saving treatment.

Radiation Oncologist, Dr Kathy Pope, said WRAD also commemorates the treatment of the first patient treated on a modern linear accelerator in September 1953.

“Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, uses controlled doses of high-energy radiation to destroy cancer cells or damage them so they can’t grow or spread,” Kathy said.

“Peter Mac has Australia’s largest specialist radiation therapy centre and offers world-class radiation therapy with the latest training and equipment.

“Patients can receive radiation therapy on its own, or with other forms of cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or surgery.

“WRAD is designed to acknowledge the broad range of speciality staff behind the scenes that are needed to deliver radiotherapy including nurses, medical physicists, engineers, radiation therapists and radiation oncologists,” she said.

Kathy encouraged cancer patients to find out whether radiation therapy would benefit them.

“Approximately one in two patients with cancer would benefit from radiation therapy at some stage in their treatment journey,” she said.

“However, not all patients who are suitable for radiation therapy receive it with significant ‘gaps’ in certain populations across Australia especially in rural or regional areas and among Aboriginal patients.

“Thank you to all of the staff who have come together over the last two weeks to celebrate the inaugural World Radiotherapy Awareness Day!” Kathy said.