Iconic Writers
Building radiotherapy access in Indonesia, one milestone at a time
This World Radiotherapy Awareness Day, Icon Cancer Centre ASEAN joins the global cancer care community in recognising the vital role radiotherapy plays in treating cancer and improving outcomes for patients.
Across ASEAN, this role is especially important. As cancer incidence rises and demand for treatment grows, timely access to high-quality radiotherapy remains essential to ensuring more patients can receive care closer to home, surrounded by their families, support networks and communities.
In Indonesia, Icon Cancer Centre Bali is helping show what improved access can look like in practice, bringing advanced radiotherapy services, clinical expertise and workforce development together to support more patients locally.
When Radiation Therapist and Clinical Process Manager Laura Young moved from Queensland to Bali, she joined the early clinical leadership team helping establish Icon Cancer Centre at Bali International Hospital, bringing a new radiotherapy service to Indonesia.
As part of the centre’s early clinical leadership team, Laura has played an instrumental role in embedding world-class clinical standards, supporting service commissioning and helping grow the local radiotherapy workforce through training, mentorship and capability building.
Twelve months on, that work is translating into meaningful progress for patients in Indonesia.
Before Icon Cancer Centre Bali opened, many patients needed to travel overseas to access advanced radiotherapy services. Today, more patients can receive high-quality cancer treatment closer to home, remaining near their families, support networks and communities throughout their care.
Over the past year, the Bali team has continued to expand local access to advanced radiotherapy techniques, establishing Icon Cancer Centre Bali as the first centre in Bali to offer Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) for breast cancer patients, cranial and oligometastatic stereotactic radiotherapy, and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), a highly precise radiotherapy technique that improves treatment accuracy and efficiency.
Earlier this year, the centre also delivered Bali’s first stereotactic radiotherapy treatments and first brachytherapy patient treatments through close collaboration with Icon’s global clinical network.
For Laura, the milestones represent far more than the introduction of new technology.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to support the development of a highly skilled local radiotherapy workforce and see that capability translate into access to advanced treatments for patients in Bali,” Laura said.
“The growth in confidence and expertise across the team has enabled us to introduce new techniques and expand treatment options, ensuring more Indonesian patients can receive high-quality care closer to home.”
Radiotherapy milestones at Icon Cancer Centre Bali
Access impact: Helping more patients in Indonesia access advanced radiotherapy closer to home.
Firsts for Indonesia: First centre in Bali to offer DIBH for breast cancer patients, cranial and oligometastatic stereotactic radiotherapy, and VMAT.
Clinical milestones: Delivered Bali’s first stereotactic radiotherapy and first brachytherapy patient treatments.
Workforce development: Supporting local capability through training, mentorship and collaboration with Icon’s global clinical network.