And in another cruel blow, Karl was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the weeks leading up to Jennifer’s passing.
“It was an incredibly hard year. Losing Jennifer was devastating. Frankly, when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I was more concerned about Jennifer, because I knew at that stage they couldn’t do anything more to treat her cancer,” says Karl.
Following Jennifer’s tragic passing, Karl commenced treatment for his prostate cancer.
“Thankfully it was contained within the prostate and hadn’t spread. I discussed my options with my urologist. I’d heard some negative stories about having the prostate removed, so I opted to go with radiation therapy. I have a friend who had treatment at Icon Cancer Centre Maroochydore, so I opted to go there to have my treatment,” says Karl.
Under the care of Icon Cancer Centre Maroochydore Radiation Oncologist, Dr Marcel Knesl, Karl underwent 39 sessions of radiation therapy. For eight weeks, Karl travelled the two-hour round trip to have his treatment each weekday.
Be informed, feel empowered. Our free guide will help you make decisions about your, or your loved ones, care.
“A friend drove me to each treatment. Thankfully the only side effect I experienced was needing to go to the toilet more frequently. We were able to play golf each Monday and Wednesday before my treatment and go to the gym while we were in Noosa,” says Karl.
Karl says while he was fine to travel for treatment, he knows the new Icon Cancer Centre Noosa, which is due to open in August 2024, will make a big difference to many Noosa cancer patients.
“It will be very handy to have treatment closer to home for many people in the region,” says Karl.
Icon Cancer Centre Noosa will provide cutting-edge radiation therapy technology, including an advanced Varian TrueBeam® linear accelerator. The service will treat all tumour streams and provide over 900 new courses of radiation therapy each year.
The Noosa and Noosa Hinterland region has experienced an annual growth rate over the last 10 years of 2.3%, however some areas within the catchment have grown up to 7.6%. This is significantly higher than the Queensland average of 1.5%. The catchment has 25.1% of the population aged 65 years and over, compared to the Queensland average of 16.6%. This ageing population makes it a prime spot for further investment into cancer care services.
“Queensland has the highest cancer incidence rate in Australia, so we know how important access to cancer treatment is for local communities across the state. Icon Cancer Centre Noosa will deliver the best care possible, to as many people as possible, as close to home as possible. It is our great privilege to bring radiation oncology services to Noosa to make a significant difference to local cancer patients and their families for many years to come,” says Icon Cancer Centre Maroochydore and Noosa Site Manager, Stephanie Price.
Find out how to become a patient at Icon Cancer Centre, or request more information from your nearest centre.
Be informed, feel empowered. Our free guide will help you make decisions about your, or your loved ones, care.
Learn more about prostate cancer in Australia, including signs and symptoms, stages and frequently asked questions.
There are many different treatment options for prostate cancer. Find out more about common treatments for prostate cancer here.