NSW will become the first state to offer every breast cancer patient the support of a McGrath Foundation nurse if Labor wins the election in March.
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Opposition Leader Chris Minns has pledged $19.5 million over three years to fund an additional 29 McGrath Breast Care nurses across the state.
The Labor leader says this would mean 45 of 92 the foundation's nurses working in NSW would be paid for by government.
"I don't think there is a person in the country who has not been affected by breast cancer - whether it's your mum, your sister, your daughter or someone you know," Mr Minns said on Saturday.
"The work of the McGrath Breast Care Nurses is invaluable and we owe them a debt of gratitude for the work they do."
The annual Pink Test at the SCG, this year between Australia and South Africa, has so far raised more than $3.8 million for the McGrath Foundation to fund its work providing specialist nurses to support breast cancer patients.
Premier Dominic Perrottet on Friday announced a $2.1 million spend to fund a further eight of the foundation's 63 nurses currently working across NSW, having previously funded eight.
It's expected this would help 1600 patients across two years.
"The NSW government has been a longtime supporter of the McGrath Foundation and their good work and we are pleased to extend our partnership," Mr Perrottet said.
"This year, around 6800 people in NSW will be diagnosed with breast cancer and the funding will help the foundation provide free support to the many people facing this challenge."
The eight nurses would be based in Sydney's north and southwest, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and southern and western NSW.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Australian women, with 20,428 patients diagnosed annually along with 212 men.
McGrath Breast Care Nurses are registered and specially trained to provide physical, psychological and emotional support from the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment.
To date 48,000 families across NSW have been supported by the foundation.
A McGrath Breast Care Nurse in a full-time position supports on average 100 patients per year, with 90 per cent of women in Australia living within 75km of one.
Australian Associated Press
