Mesothelioma can affect every aspect of your life, and create practical and financial issues. There are many sources of support and information to help you, your family and carers navigate all stages of the cancer experience, including:
- information about mesothelioma and its treatment
- access to benefits and programs to ease the financial impact of cancer treatment
- home care services, such as Meals on Wheels, visiting nurses and home help
- aids and appliances
- mesothelioma support organisations and programs
- counselling services.
The availability of services may vary depending on where you live, and some services will be free but others might have a cost.
To find good sources of support and information, you can talk to the social worker or nurse at your hospital or treatment centre, or get in touch with Cancer Council 13 11 20.
Learn more about:
My family members don’t really understand what it’s like to have cancer thrown at you, but in my support group, I don’t feel like I have to explain.
Sam
Mesothelioma support in Australia
New South Wales |
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| Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia (ADFA) | 1800 006 196 |
| Asbestos Diseases Research Institute (ADRI) | 02 9767 9800 |
Queensland |
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| Asbestosis and Mesothelioma Association of Australia (AMAA) | 1800 017 758 |
| Asbestos Disease Support Society (ADSS) | 1800 776 412 |
South Australia |
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| Asbestos Diseases Society of South Australia (ADSSA) | 1800 157 540 or 08 8241 7297 |
| Asbestos Victims Association of South Australia (AVA) | 08 8212 6008 or 1800 665 395 |
Tasmania |
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| Asbestos Free Tasmania Foundation | |
Victoria |
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| Asbestos Council of Victoria/Gippsland Asbestos Related Diseases Support (ACV/GARDS) | 03 5127 7744 |
| Asbestoswise | |
Western Australia |
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| Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia (ADSA) | 1800 646 690 |
| Reflections Through Reality | |
Other useful websites
You can find many useful resources online, but not all websites are reliable. Visit the websites below for good sources of support and information:
Australia
- Cancer information
- Carer services
- Clinical trials
- Counselling
- Financial assistance
- General
- Mesothelioma-related
- Palliative care
International
- American Cancer Society
- Cancer Research UK
- Macmillan Cancer Support (UK)
- National Cancer Institute (US)
- Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (US)
- Mesothelioma UK
More resources
A/Prof Brian McCaughan, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Theodora Ahilas, Principal Lawyer, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, NSW; Prof David Ball, Director, Lung Service, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Shirley Bare, Consumer; Cassandra Dickens, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Cancer Care Coordinator – Thoracic Malignancies, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, QLD; Penny Jacomos, Social Worker, Asbestos Diseases Society of South Australia, SA; A/Prof Thomas John, Medical Oncologist, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Austin Health, and Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, VIC; Victoria Keena, Executive Officer, Asbestos Diseases Research Institute, NSW; Penny Lefeuvre, Consumer; Jocelyn McLean, Mesothelioma Support Coordinator, Asbestos Diseases Research Institute, NSW; Prof David Morris, Peritonectomy Surgeon, St George Hospital and University of New South Wales, NSW; Caitriona Nienaber, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Western Australia; Prof Anna Nowak, Medical Oncologist, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia, WA; Prof Jennifer Philip, Palliative Care Specialist, St Vincent’s Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital, VIC; Nicole Taylor, Acting Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Cancer Specialist Nurse, The Canberra Hospital, ACT. We also thank the health professionals, consumers and editorial teams who have worked on previous editions of this title. Previous editions of this title and related resources were funded in part by the Heads of Asbestos Coordination Authorities and a donation from Lyall Watts.
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
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