Melboune, 6 February 2023. Leading life, health and wellbeing insurer AIA Australia has announced that after four years of delivering positive impacts for its life insurance customers, the CancerAid program will be extended to its AIA Health customers.
Last year, 162,000 new cases of cancer were expected to be diagnosed in Australia.[1] While cancer survivorship is improving,[2] side effects can last long after treatment has been completed, resulting in a profound impact to patients’ quality of life.
The new partnership between AIA Health and CancerAid will mean that customers diagnosed with cancer can access Cancer Coach- an educational, behavioural change program which endeavors to support people living with cancer to take back control of their cancer care, in the hope of achieving more favorable outcomes.
The impacts of this partnership hold exciting potential, with the CancerAid Cancer Coach program being proven to increase successful return to work outcomes and improve patients’ overall symptoms. In late 2021, AIA Australia and CancerAid released research which was published in JMIR Cancer, a leading medical journal and was shared at ASCO’s (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Journal of Clinical Oncology.
- Patients in the program are 73 per cent more likely to return to work.
- 39 per cent of patients in the program report improvement of their symptoms.
- Patients return to work on average 16.5 weeks earlier than patients receiving regular care alone
CancerAid was founded in 2015 by oncologists wanting to improve the cancer journey for patients. The Cancer Coach program offers a considered combination of technology, evidence-based resources and human support designed around the core pillars of cancer care, empowering participants with information and tools.
Cancer Coach by CancerAid is delivered digitally to participants. Through the holistic health program, cancer patients have access to one-on-one support and personalised education from a trained Health Coach, evidence-based tools and resources to improve both their physical and mental health and access to the CancerAid app to manage their diagnosis such as symptom tracking.
Damien Mu, CEO and Managing Director of AIA Australia said, “At AIA Australia our purpose is to make a difference in people’s lives. A cancer diagnosis can have a devastating impact on the livelihoods of our customers and those around them, however, tools such as the CancerAid Coach program can make a significant positive impact.
“Through our AIA Embrace network, we have been able to establish a meaningful and strong relationship with CancerAid over the last few years. This has enabled us to publish leading research together and empower many of our life insurance customers while they are undergoing treatment for cancer. I’m thrilled that we can now strengthen this valued partnership and provide our AIA Health Insurance customers with access to this incredible program.
Dr Raghav Murali-Ganesh, CancerAid CEO and Co-Founder and Oncologist said, “We are thrilled to announce the extension of our successful partnership with AIA Australia, reflecting the positive impact we've been able to achieve for their life insurance customersCancer is a disease that affects us all, and we believe that cancer care should be accessible to everyone. This extension is a testament to the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to delivering holistic support and care for those impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
At CancerAid, we understand that cancer can be isolating. That's why our programs aim to ensure that participants feel supported, maintain connections, and adopt positive behavior changes. With the support of AIA Australia, we can empower cancer patients to take control of their journey and feel like they're in the driver's seat.
AIA Australia has been a long-term partner of CancerAid, as a leader in their field they understand that holistic care in cancer is the way forward. Together, we will be there for those moments that matter, providing comprehensive support and care to those impacted by cancer."
AIA Health Insurance will be sharing more information about CancerAid with its customers in the coming weeks.
