A pioneering service to transport, freeze and store reproductive tissue for young cancer patients is being led by a team of fertility specialists at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne thanks to a generous grant from Sony Foundation.
Currently, only 4 per cent of young women and 1 in 4 young men undergo fertility preservation before chemotherapy, despite research showing infertility is the number one issue that has an identified impact on a young person’s quality of life following cancer.
The National Ovarian and Testicular tissue Transport and Cryopreservation Service (NOTTCS) – the first of its kind in Australia - will enable medical professionals nationwide to offer fertility-preserving treatment to cancer patients aged 13 – 30 years old.
“No longer will young people miss out on this treatment due to barriers such as lack of access for regional patients, cost and time restrictions. But more importantly, providing access will give young people facing cancer hope and the opportunity to focus on life after cancer.”
Sophie Ryan, Sony Foundation CEO
Associate Professor Kate Stern says she is thrilled to be able to deliver this exciting new initiative that has already proven to change people’s lives.
“This service will enable tissue to be collected, transported and cryopreserved in Melbourne from patients right around Australia. It will give access to state-of-the-art fertility preservation to young people who might have thought that it’s the end of the road for their fertility.”
Click here to read as appeared in The Sunday Telegraph on 21 September 2019
Click here to watch as appeared on Channel 7 "Sunrise" on 24 September 2019
Sony Foundation launched the fertility service in September of 2019 and the NOTTCS has been featured in several news segments recently.
Click here to read more about the Sony Foundation's fertility services campaign
For more information for patients and doctors:
- Visit: NOTTCS Website
- Call: (03) 8345 3227
- Email: NOTTCS@thewomens.org.au
