Patient Support

Patient Support2024-02-28T11:04:14+11:00

We understand that melanoma diagnosis and treatment can be overwhelming for patients, their carers and loved ones. We are here to provide support in many ways.

Supportive Care Matters

Our Supportive Care team will regularly write articles about topics that matter to melanoma patients. If there is a topic that you would like addressed in one of our future articles, please let us know by emailing supportivecare@melanoma.org.au

Looking after yourself

We all understand that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can improve both physical and emotional well-being, especially during and following treatment for melanoma. Read our tips for a good well-being plan, which can restore some sense of control.

MIA Clinical Psychology Service

Clinical psychology services are available at MIA, operating on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Referral by your health care professional is preferred, although self-referrals are accepted. Please note that this is not a crisis mental health service.

Phone (02) 9911 7285 or email psychology@melanoma.org.au

Melanoma Nurses

Our melanoma nurses provide direct care and support for our melanoma patients throughout their treatment journey.  In Sydney our melanoma nurses provide support to patients undergoing treatment or participating in a clinical trial. In Western Australia and the Riverina we have melanoma community nurses who provide support and guidance to local patients.

Danielle Goss, Wagga melanoma nurse
Phone: 0413 766 232
Email: Danielle.Goss@melanoma.org.au

Angie Miller, WA melanoma nurse
Phone: 0459 463 451
Email: Angelica.Miller@melanoma.org.au

Telehealth Nurse

In partnership with Melanoma Patients Australia, we also provide a specialist melanoma nurse telehealth service to support patients in navigating the health system, accessing available services and making decisions regarding their health. This personalised telephone support service is available to all melanoma patients and their carers, particularly in regional and remote areas.

Emma Zurawel, Telehealth nurse
Phone 1300 884 450, or email info@melanomapatients.org.au, to book an appointment.

Melanoma: Questions and Answers Booklet

Our Melanoma: Questions and Answers Booklet is an important supportive care resource for patients with early stage melanoma. It was developed as a psychoeducational resource to help alleviate the fear of recurrence and address anxieties around diagnosis. It is designed to complement our Melanoma Prevention and Early Detection and Early Melanoma Patient Guides.

Click on cover image to download.

Melanoma Questions and Answers

Melanoma: Questions and Answers Booklet

Support Services

Self care and support is so important during melanoma treatment, for patients, carers and families. Read about looking after yourself, your emotional wellbeing and where to get help in our guide.

MIA has also created a handy directory of MIA and other helpful support services, from wellbeing to psychology services.

Click the cover images to download PDF.

Patient Support Groups

MIA is pleased to partner with Melanoma Patients Australia (MPA) to support melanoma patients and their carers around Australia.

Support Meetings are held monthly around Australia. These include face-to-face group meetings, user-friendly monthly online Zoom meetings and a hybrid combination of the two. In addition, Support Leaders are keeping in contact with patients and carers individually.

Note: We update the meeting details at the start of each month.

Please contact MPA by clicking on the button below to register your interest in joining one of the Support Groups listed below. The team will respond to your request. Alternatively, you can call 1300 884 450.

Support Meetings this month

LOCATION DATE MEETING FORMAT FACILITATOR
NSW – Sydney Wed 6 Mar 7pm Virtual Martin Sander-Burns
VIC – Melbourne Thurs 7 Mar 7pm Virtual Audrey Colbert
QLD – Brisbane / Gold Coast Fri 8 Mar 11:30am Face-to-face Brian Bailey, Ingrid Kivikoski, Lyn Batchelor
ACT – Canberra Sun 17 Mar 11am Face-to-face David Thiele
QLD – Sunshine Coast Wed 20 Mar 12pm Face-to-face Christine Bleijie
TAS – Tasmania Mon 18 Mar 5.30pm Hybrid Dianne Mason & Jenni Paton
QLD – Townsville No meeting in March Face-to-face Linda & Russell Lewis
NSW – Hunter No meeting in March Face-to-face Lisa Hamilton
SA – Adelaide Coming soon Face-to-face Melody Fehlberg
WA – Perth See section below table
Mucosal Melanoma Fri 22 Mar 2pm AEDT Virtual Emma Zurawel
Metastatic Melanoma Thurs 14 Mar & 28 Mar 1.30pm AEDT Telephone Emma Zurawel & Joseph Taylor (CCNSW)

In addition to the above, there are ad hoc meetings held in Rockhampton.

The Hunter Region group meets on alternative months.

If there is no support group in your area, and you wish to connect with someone locally please contact the MPA National Support Line on 1300 88 44 50.

Support in WA

Perth Melanoma Support Group
Face-to-face meetings are usually held on the first Thursday of the month at 6pm at the Cottesloe Wellness Centre, 80 Railway Street, Cottesloe.

South West Melanoma Support Group
Face-to-face meetings are usually held the third Thursday of the month in Bunbury.

Virtual Support Group 
A WA Virtual support group meeting is held via zoom on the third Tuesday of the month.

Please email Angie Miller wa@melanoma.org.au or call 9322 1908 for information, or to join, WA support groups.

Thanks to the WA support group participants who shared their story in the video created by Sunburnt Films (below). 

Additional Support in Tasmania

In addition to the Tasmania Support Meeting detailed above, please contact Melanoma Institute Australia in Tasmania for one-on-one and peer-to-peer support. Email tasmania@melanoma.org.au or call 0409 330 206.

Patient Support Videos: Melanoma Matters

Melanoma Matters is a four-part series designed to deliver vital insight through the eyes of a patient.

  • Melanoma and life expectancy (Julie’s story)
  • Melanoma and anxiety (Ingrid’s story)
  • Melanoma in young people (Adam’s story)
  • Melanoma spreading or returning (Karen’s story)

Thank you to the four patients who have bravely shared their stories to help others.

MIA would like to thank the following organisations for their support of Melanoma Matters: Melanoma Patients Australia, Amie St Clair Melanoma Trust, melanomaWA, Melanoma Tasmania and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Funding for this project was generously provided by Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis and MSD.

Melanoma and life expectancy

Julie’s story

After being given a life expectancy of six months, Julie’s life – and that of her loved ones – was turned upside down by melanoma. Hanging on to hope was crucial. In this moving video Julie shares how she got through it and where she went for help.

You can hear more of Julie’s inspiring story in her book, Patient 71

Additional support resources:

Melanoma Institute Australia
Melanoma Facts

Cancer Research UK
Coping with advanced melanoma

Cancer Council NSW
Melanoma stages and prognosis

Cancer Council NSW
Advanced melanoma

Cancer Council Victoria
Facing End of Life booklet

Melanoma and anxiety

Ingrid’s story

Anxiety is a familiar emotion to many people diagnosed with melanoma. Ingrid finds it most challenging around scan time when she’s waiting for results.

Learn from Ingrid’s experience on how she manages anxiety and where to find support.

Additional support resources:

Melanoma Patients Australia
Anxiety

Cancer Australia
Living with cancer

Cancer Council Australia
Emotions and cancer booklet

IMPACT Melanoma (US)
Just diagnosed

Melanoma and young people

Adam’s story

Adam will never forget the day he was diagnosed with melanoma at age 27. After a hairdresser noticed a changing mole, Adam saw his doctor, thinking it would be a simple matter of having it cut out.

Adam has been through a rollercoaster of emotions and was surprised that melanoma could happen to someone his age. Hear his story as he sheds light on what it’s like to be diagnosed with melanoma so young.

Additional support resources:

Melanoma Institute Australia
Causes of melanoma in 90% of young Australians

Canteen.
Skin Cancers – Information, treatment and support

RedKite
How we help – Information & support

Game On Mole
Instagram: @gameonmole_ 

Melanoma spreading or returning

Karen’s story

Karen has been through the journey of melanoma progression, scan anxiety and fear of recurrence. Watch her story to find out how she managed and where to go for more help.

Additional support resources:

Melanoma Institute Australia
Stages of melanoma

Melanoma Institute Australia
Melanoma treatment options

Melanoma Patients Australia
Fear of recurrence

Melanoma Patients Australia
Staging of melanoma

Cancer Council Australia
Living well after cancer booklet

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