Kathleen Kilgour Centre

28/11/2025

Here at our centre, we believe knowledge is a powerful way to ease nerves and help you feel more confident about your treatment.
Our team is dedicated to making sure every patient feels supported from the moment they walk through our doors. That’s why we’ve created a new video showing the process of making a radiotherapy treatment mask — one of the first steps in preparing for Head and Neck treatment.

The video highlights not just the mask-making process, but the people behind it: the radiation therapists, the technology, and the care that goes into ensuring your treatment is as precise and comfortable as possible. We know new experiences can feel daunting, and our hope is that this video helps answer questions, reduce uncertainty, and build trust in the process.

We hope this video is a helpful resource for patients, whānau, and anyone wanting to better understand how radiotherapy works. 💙

10/10/2025

Today is a reminder that mental health matters — every day, for everyone.
In our busy lives, it’s easy to prioritise the needs of others and forget our own wellbeing. But taking care of your mind is just as important as caring for your body. Whether that means taking a quiet moment to breathe, reaching out for support, or simply checking in with a friend or colleague — those small steps make a big difference.
Let’s keep creating spaces where it’s okay to talk about how we’re really doing, where kindness leads and where no one feels alone in what they’re facing.
To all my colleagues and our wider community — thank you for the compassion, empathy and strength you show every day. Let’s continue to look out for one another and make mental health a true priority, not just today, but always. 💚

💚 You matter.

08/09/2025

Well done, Kate! We’re incredibly proud to have you as part of the KKC team.

🙌 SEPTEMBER 7 WORLD RADIOTHERAPY AWARENESS DAY - Kate from Tauranga

☢️ There are only ten clinical providers of Radiation Therapy in Aotearoa. Each year 25,000 around the motu are diagnosed with cancer - radiation therapy is a safe and effective treatment - but currently not enough cancer patients who should be receiving radiation therapy are getting it. One of the places patients can receive radiation therapy in Aotearoa is Tauranga. 🏥

Kate works as a Radiation Therapist in Tauranga

💬Here's what she wanted to share with you:

Kia ora e te whānau, I'm Kate 🙂I have recently moved to Tauranga, where I work as a Radiation Therapist. I have always been passionate about the health and well-being of our communities, so a career in radiation therapy made perfect sense for me. I am newly qualified, having recently graduated from the University of Otago, and have been working in my role for almost ten months now. As part of my training, I did two 6-month clinical placements—one in Hamilton and one in Tauranga. I find my role incredibly rewarding; getting to support patients through their cancer treatment journey is such a privilege. I hope that World Radiation Therapy Day will increase the general public's awareness and understanding of radiation therapy. Many people fear cancer treatments, due to a lack of information or misinformation. If we can help demystify the process, hopefully, this will help more patients access radiation treatment and reduce some of the health inequities we unfortunately see across Aotearoa. Thanks for taking the time to read this post and learn a bit more about Radiation Therapy!

🧡 Ngā mihi Kate for helping to spread the word - One voice for raising awareness of radiotherapy as a safe, effective and advanced treatment!

08/09/2025

🎉Happy First Ever World Radiotherapy Awareness Day! 🧡

On Friday we joined radiation therapy departments around the world to celebrate the incredible work of our profession and the life-changing care we provide to patients every day.

At Kathleen Kilgour Centre, we marked this special occasion with a delicious shared lunch, a beautiful cake, and of course, by dressing up in orange

– the official colour of the day!

It was a wonderful opportunity to come together as a team, reflect on the vital role radiation therapy plays in cancer treatment, and raise awareness in our community.

Here’s to many more years of innovation, teamwork, and compassionate care.

18/08/2025

We’re so proud – and incredibly happy – to have played a part in Stanley’s journey 💛
As the first ever animal to receive radiation treatment at Kathleen Kilgour Centre, Stanley holds a very special place in our hearts.
A huge thank you to the amazing team at ARC Vets for their collaboration and care every step of the way. This was teamwork at its finest!
KKC’s first radiation pet patient and now a forever star 🐶💛

23/07/2025

International Self-Care Day is a great opportunity to reflect on what fills your cup—both inside and outside of work.
Whether it’s a lunch break outdoors, a moment of quiet, or connecting with someone who lifts your spirits, make time for it today. Hydrate. Move your body. Laugh. Say no. Do whatever makes your soul feel lighter. 💛
Today is a gentle reminder to pause, breathe, and prioritise you.
Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s essential.
Maybe it's a walk in nature, a quiet cup of tea, journaling, listening to music, or simply stepping away from the noise for a few minutes. However it looks for you—honour it. 🌸
To all our healthcare whānau: in caring for others, don’t forget to care for yourself. Your wellbeing matters. Take a pause. Take a breath. Take a moment to reset.
Let’s lead with kindness—starting with ourselves.
Let’s normalise rest, reflection, and recharging—not just today, but every day. ✨
Because when we take care of ourselves, we’re better able to care for those around us.

19/06/2025

Mānawatia a Matariki – Honouring the Māori New Year 🌌
As Matariki comes around, we take this time to reflect, remember, and look forward. Matariki is a time of renewal—an opportunity to honour those who have passed, celebrate the present, and set intentions for the year ahead.
In our work delivering radiation therapy, we are constantly reminded of the importance of hope, healing, and whānau. These same values are central to Matariki. It is a time to acknowledge the journeys of our patients, the strength of their families, and the dedication of our team.
We honour the mātauranga Māori that enriches our understanding and practice, and we remain committed to providing the utmost care,
Mānawatia a Matariki – Let us celebrate and uplift this time together.

02/06/2025

Another proud achievement for the Kathleen Kilgour Centre! A heartfelt thank you to ARC Vets for your collaboration and support in making this milestone possible. Together, we're making a real difference."

Radiation Therapy for Pets—Now Available in NZ! 🐶🐱

We’re excited to share that radiation therapy is now readily available for ARC Vets patients—right here in Aotearoa through our exclusive partnership with the Kathleen Kilgour Centre in Tauranga.

Until recently, radiation was difficult to access and realistically only an option for pet owners able to travel to Australia. Now, this advanced treatment is available just hours from Auckland—bringing world-class care closer to home.

💥 We’ve already treated two dogs with nasal tumours (chondrosarcoma and squamous cell carcinoma) and both are doing well post-treatment.

🧠 The centre offers Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT):

✔️ Highly targeted
✔️ Completed over just a few days
✔️ Spares healthy tissue
✔️ Minimises side effects

💡 What cancers can be treated?

• Nasal tumours
• Brain tumours
• Some canine multicentric lymphoma patients
• Oral tumours
• Osteosarcomas
• Prostatic tumours
• A**l sac adenocarcinomas
• Tumours in challenging locations (where surgery isn’t possible)

🐾 This gives more pets a fighting chance—and more treatment options than ever before.

🩺 Worried about costs or coverage?
Some pet insurance plans do cover radiation therapy. We recommend checking directly with your provider.

📞 Talk to your vet or reach out to us directly—our team is here to guide you through your options and help your pet get the care they need

Pic shows ARC Vets Managing Director and Specialist surgeon, Dr Karl Mathis, with Stanley, the first patient we treated at the Kathleen Kilgour Centre ❤️

27/05/2025

Elekta Evo Live in Asia Pacific First at Kathleen Kilgour Centre

New Zealand’s Kilgour Centre (KKC) is the first site in to commence treating patients with the Evo system – bringing world-leading technology to regional patients.

One of only a handful of Elekta Evo systems in use globally, the platform introduces a new era of precision and performance through Iris AI-enhanced imaging, delivering clearer, more accurate images for daily visualisation and enabling more personalised treatments.

Sally Lowe, Chief Medical Physicist at KKC, shared: “Bringing the latest innovations to the Bay of Plenty area has always been a core principle of our clinic. Elekta has been a partner of KKC since our inception, and we are proud that this Asia Pacific first can help us continue our mission to deliver the best possible care for our local community.”

Congratulations to the team at Kathleen Kilgour Centre on this incredible achievement and your continued dedication to delivering cutting-edge care where it matters most. For more information on Elekta Evo click here: https://www.elekta.com/adapt-at-your-rhythm/

Image courtesy of Hugo - Reel Action Digital Ltd

15/05/2025

The Kathleen Kilgour Centre is proud to celebrate one of our own, Kate Penny, who has been awarded the prestigious Angela Allen Travelling Scholarship.
This scholarship, awarded annually since 2003, recognises the top-performing student in the graduating class of the Bachelor of Radiation Therapy programme. It honours the individual who has achieved the highest aggregate marks across the full three years of study – a true reflection of consistent academic excellence and unwavering dedication.
Kate’s dedication, academic excellence, and compassion have made her an exceptional part of the Kathleen Kilgour Centre team. We are proud to have been a part of her journey during her clinical placement and we can’t wait to see where the next chapter takes her!
Congratulations on this well-deserved honour Kate! We are so proud of you 🌟

15/05/2025

A huge shoutout to our newest team members — the incredible graduates of the Bachelor of Radiation Therapy at the University of Otago! We’re so proud of each of you and thrilled that you’ve chosen to begin your careers with us at KKC.
You’ve already shown such promise and professionalism — you’re a fantastic addition to our team and an asset to the department. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for each of you!
It’s a privilege to support and work alongside such capable, compassionate and motivated new professionals. Your hard work has brought you this far — now the journey begins.
Congratulations once again and thank you for choosing to start your career with us. We look forward to watching you grow! Let’s make a difference, together. 💙

13/05/2025

🌟 May is Oncology Nursing Month! 🌟
This month, we proudly recognize and celebrate the incredible oncology nurses who are the heart of our Radiation Therapy Department. 💙
Every day, our nurses show unwavering compassion, clinical excellence, and strength as they care for patients facing cancer. They are not only caregivers—they are advocates, educators, and a constant source of comfort and hope.
To our amazing team: thank you for your dedication, your empathy, and the difference you make in every patient’s journey. Your work changes lives, and we are beyond grateful to have you as part of our team.
💛 Happy Oncology Nursing Month! 💛