Selina Kiernan is Cancer Council NT’s Katherine-based cancer information and support officer, and has moved into the role after a stint at Katherine West Health Board.

“It sounded really, really interesting and also like something you could build on, especially with the new chemotherapy ward being opened at the hospital [later this year],” she said.

The office was opened in March following a mammoth fundraising effort at the 2014 Triple-0 Ball and Ms Kiernan said she was looking forward to offering face-to-face support to patients. 

“I want to help and, in this position, I can provide that help,” she explained.

“What we are offering is more about the practical side of the cancer battle.”

Katherine Cancer Working Group chair Toni Tapp-Coutts said what had been an “ambitious goal” of launching a local support office for cancer patients was now a reality.

“I hope that the office will be a huge assistance to cancer patients in the region, in particular helping to answer questions and provide advice to cut down on the anxiety and confusion in the first weeks of diagnosis,” she said.

“Selina has the ability to make the time to listen and to give more personalised local support in a comfortable space.”