Australian cricketer, Glenn McGrath and his wife Jane, who died in June after initially being diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years ago, set up the foundation after Jane realised how much her breast care nurse helped her to cope.

Breast care nurses coordinate treatment for patients, liaising between patients and specialists involved in their care. They also help patients to understand the information about their diagnosis and treatment and provide emotional support.

"It's a great thing," said Pat Jimmieson of the Southern Fleurieu Cancer Support Group.

"The initial feedback that I've been hearing from people who have been through breast cancer is that a nurse would be very, very beneficial and reassuring when someone has to go through treatment after treatment.

"Simply to have someone to call and ask 'is this normal?' would be a wonderful thing."

The hospital’s executive officer, Jill Cooper, said the breast care nurse would enhance the existing care offer by local health services.

"The nurse will be able to point people to what services are available locally and in town and help them with appointments," she said.

"When people are diagnosed with cancer it can become quite a nightmare if they don't know how the system works.

"People enter a system where they are going from appointment to appointment.

“They are already frightened because of the diagnosis of cancer and they find themselves having to go perhaps to the Royal Adelaide for radiotherapy, somewhere else for chemotherapy and then to other appointments."

Ms Cooper said the hospital had been looking at the problems this posed for all cancer patients for some time.

"The issue of having to travel to Adelaide to be treated is a major problem.

“We are looking at co-ordinating appointments and making life better for patients.

"So instead of having to travel to Adelaide three times a week for appointments (which could be as short as 10 minutes), patients would only have to travel up on one day and have all three appointments on that day."

She said that although most people with breast cancer were women "there are also men who are diagnosed with breast cancer who are often forgotten about".