- Should Tony Abbott ensure all major radiation oncology units have a PET Scanner at an affordable cost to the Public? PET scannets are superior to MRIS and Ct scanners at detecting cancer a cellular level.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s1973995.htm

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s2043989.htm

- should The Chuches become involved, or, ever remain silence on Life and Dealth issues, near, elections, as Cardinal Pell indicaed to writer on PET scans?

There are six PET Scans in Australia. Tassie a=has none. That is, one PET scan for every 1,312,500 Australia. Pathis; Is it not?

What is you opinion? Please discuss points raised.

O.

Oliver, when you suffer from cancer and have to travel over 400 km to reach a machine it is blatantly obvious that there should be more scanners and hang the expense - we have all earned it by providing the government with the tax revenue that they are now throwing around the place as inducements to get themselves re-elected. So you have MY support.

I ask only a few more questions

1. how do you manage to convince the radiologists, oncologists, and the other specialists who are NOT in great supply around this vast continent of ours, to come and work in the new locations where such scanners would be placed? - The machines cannot run themselves and cannot interpret the results either/

2. What additional support can be provided to people who currently and in the future will continue to live far away to actually manage to GET to those scanners that exist and then back home?

3. What additional support can be provided to people to help fund the $1000 + that each scan costs after the first 'free' one?

Answer these questions and you may be able to help any Health Minister make some better decisions.

Garpet1,

Thanks for the reply. My feeling is that not only cancer patients need some assistance to travel long distances. I had to stay in a motel opposite RNSH for six weeks. Ouch! There is some distance travel allowance but do not expect to receive help.

The specialists probably wont travel and a PET produces positrons [antimatter] isotopes with a half-life of only ten minutes and need frequent re-calebration. I see only centres the size of Newcatsle NSW and capable of maintaining them having them, with 2-3 machines with multiple lanes. RNSH already uses this is approach with linear accelerators.

Abbott has really dug his heals in on this one. Yet the technology is known to be effective and safe and works a cellular level. Cells missed from the first operation can detected.

The Minister indicated he announce a plan --for sure-- by the ens of July, 2007. Many people have been joining in hisehis failure to do so: Nuclear medicine specialists, journals and patients. The Man being the safe seat of Warringah just ignores it are all. The Manly Press would aa at this tine after two weeks of proding campaign against Abbott. He feels he is an untouchable and could be right.

I have two nationally known jounalists on my side but the catch is, the issue, has been on the 7.30 Report trice already. I will try to encourage a/some big city newspapers TO run an 200 lines its editorial. Abbott's tardiness [to pork barrel?] could the issue to pursue, given earlier publicity?

Dear Oliver,

You have my support. I was diagnosed with bowel cancer last year.
But I was one of the lucky ones. I live in a capital city and had
access to what was needed. I don't know what I or my family would have done if I wouldn't have been able to get the quick medical attention that was needed. The shock of the diagnosis is bad enough, but not being able to get help ... what can we do to help you?