Volunteer Voice March 2015 by Cancer Council

VolunteerVoice For and about volunteers with Cancer Council NSW

Autumn Edition March 2015

Reflections on holding a Candidate Forum

Members of the Sydney Cancer Advocacy Network, and other interested community members, pictured with Balmain candidates Jamie Parker and Verity Firth (left of centre), at the Inner West Relay For Life Candidate Forum.

Written by Glynis Craigen, who volunteers across several divisions in Cancer Council NSW and is a member of the Sydney Cancer Advocacy Network. On the eighth of November last year, myself and other members of the Sydney Cancer Advocacy Network (SCAN) held a Candidate Forum at the Inner West Relay for Life in Rozelle. The then two known candidates for the seat of Balmain at the upcoming March State election were invited to answer questions relating to the five Saving Life 2015 issues. I thought the Candidate Forum was a great success. The tent was full, relevant questions were asked, the audience was good, and the

candidates made some passionate speeches and real commitments in relation to the Saving Life issues. I think one of the reasons it went well was because it was well-planned, the candidates and the MC had been thoroughly briefed, and relevant questions had been prepared to elicit the commitments we wanted. It also worked well because the questioners were willing to share their stories of how cancer had affected their lives. Combining the Forum with Relay For Life not only gave us a venue but the opportunity to get an audience. That’s one of the lessons I learnt: make use of available resources and opportunities. In saying that I think good communication with the Relay committee was also important.

cancercouncil.com.au | Volunteer Hotline: (02) 9334 1813

As far as the planning goes, communication between the members of the planning committee is important. I felt at times we were having the same discussions over and over again, so another thing I learnt was that if a decision can’t be made, e.g. through lack of information at the time, it’s best to move on until a decision can be made. If a decision is made and a committee member was unable to attend the meeting where the decision was made, they need to accept the decision. This is about trusting the people you work with. The planning process itself was enjoyable…not only for the good coffee. It was good to get together with other people who want to make a difference and do something positive. I think the informal nature of the meetings encouraged everyone to contribute their ideas, and the bouncing of ideas off each other certainly contributed to the success of the event. We also had fun giving Jamie, our MC, a hard time in her practice sessions! Overall it was a very positive experience and, after listening to the candidates, I am quite optimistic that they will do what they can to achieve the goals of Saving Life 2015.

See page 7 for more on Saving Life 2015: Change starts here

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Update

from CEO, Jim L’Estrange

Community lies at the core of what we do and how we work towards achieving our vision: “Together we will beat cancer”. As a 97 per cent community-funded charity, and with our volunteers and community supporters working with us in every area of our organisation, we know the importance of harnessing the support and the power of the community to achieve better cancer outcomes and drive positive change at the grassroots level. Community is integral to everything that we achieve at Cancer Council – there is no success without you.

“Community is integral to everything that we achieve at Cancer Council – there is no success without you.” CEO, Jim L’Estrange The community helps us decide which research to fund. When deciding which research projects to fund, we not only assess the scientific merit of a project but also its potential impact on the community, through our Consumer Review Panel which consists of cancer survivors and carers from metropolitan and regional NSW. With a network of 17 offices across the state, we are able to work with local communities to understand their needs when it comes to cancer prevention, support and information and tailor our programs and resources to the needs of each community. Our community of volunteers is essential in helping us provide services, such as in-home support or

transport to treatment, to those affected by cancer and often living in non-metropolitan areas. Our volunteers are also essential in delivering our prevention programs, Eat It To Beat It and the SunSmart Program across NSW. And of course, together with our CanAct Community, which has over 13,000 members, we campaign for improvements in legislation, public policy and funding to reduce cancer risk and improve care. I am really excited about our Saving Life 2015: Change starts here campaign, which is powered by the community. In the lead-up to the March 2015 State election, this campaign is highlighting five opportunities for the next NSW Government to use their power to help beat cancer. We worked with the community to determine the five areas which were of most importance to Cancer Council and the broader community in the next few years. We are calling for increased Aboriginal workforce in cancer services, tobacco retail reform, no chemotherapy co-payments, coordinated cancer care and more palliative care services. The campaign could not have been so successful without the support of our CanAct community advocates, campaigning, driving grassroots change and running local activities across NSW, to make sure that MPs and candidates hear about the issues. To find out more about how you can support our campaign, visit here – cancercouncil.com. au/savinglife/. Any community member can start change! These are just some of the ways that we work together towards our aspirational goal of reducing deaths from cancer by 50 per cent over the next 20 years. Thank you for your contribution to the cancer cause.

18 years with Cancer Council On Friday 5 December last year, Valda (Val) Homer finished with Cancer Council NSW after 18 years of service. Val started with us on 22 July 1996 and has been a stalwart of the Woolloomooloo packing room. Matt Baldry was her most recent volunteer manager. Only two years off 90 years of age at the time of writing, Val was still playing competitive tennis until two years ago at the age of 86. Grateful for everything that she’s been able to contribute to at

Cancer Council NSW, Val has seen a lot of change throughout her time. Thank you, Val, for your wonderful commitment and service to Cancer Council. You are an inspiration to us all! Pictured right: Woolloomooloo mail-room mainstays, Roz Green, Valda Homer, Claire O’Grady, Denise Jefferys, Manager Matt Baldry at rear.

Editor: Michael McGennan. Please feel free to forward your feedback and contributions to volunteervoice@nswcc.org.au 2

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Vision for Change and why change matters to me My name is Shirley Blacklaws. I am currently living with a terminal cancer diagnosis and have been for nine years. My cancer is rare. I have a Malignant Thymoma with a secondary to my left lung area. Although it is well documented that cancer is the second most common cause of death for Aboriginal people, very little is known about the cancer experiences of Aboriginal people in NSW. In March 2015 NSW voters will go to the polls to decide who will govern NSW for the next four years. NSW has achieved a lot in cancer control over the last few decades, but there is more to be done. Cancer Council’s Vision for Change outlines five opportunities for the next NSW government to reduce the number of people who hear the words “you’ve got cancer”, and ensure that those who do have cancer get the care they need. I would like to speak briefly on an increased Aboriginal Workforce in Cancer Services as outlined in Vision For Change. There aren’t enough culturally appropriate cancer services for Aboriginal people in NSW, and this gets in the way of closing the gap in cancer outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. In the nine years that I have been in the system I have not come across one Aboriginal support person. I have been a patient in hospital and have only met the Aboriginal worker on request from myself. This highlights the need for more employment – the expectations for ‘one person’ to work alone in a hospital would be a high-pressured position, physically and emotionally. Cancer Council has a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This highlights the critical need for Cancer Council to build on their overall organisation’s internal capacity to support Aboriginal employment. The NSW Government can change this by developing an Aboriginal health workforce plan specifically for cancer services. Vision for Change highlights the need to make a change around the employment of Aboriginal people. I believe there needs to be a shift away from the “one person” as a whole of organisation approach. I am not here to ask for one identified person to be employed. The success of Aboriginal employment within any organisation or government position should not rest

on the shoulders of one Aboriginal employee alone, as this person is pressured from both sides. Aboriginal people have high expectations because that person is Aboriginal, and the organisation that the person works for will expect that person to succeed. We can’t beat cancer until we’ve addressed the issue of cancer in Aboriginal people. The critical element in determining this is to address the employment of Aboriginal people. There needs to be a shared belief that better results will be achieved if we can find more common ground between the employment of Aboriginal people within the system to allow for better support systems and resources. This can be done through commitment to improving indigenous employment outcomes and backing this commitment by providing adequate financial and human resources. There is an enormous amount of material available through social media and the Internet on Aboriginal employment strategies. Start here: www.aes.org.au

“We can’t beat cancer until we’ve addressed the issue of cancer in Aboriginal people. The critical element in determining this is to address the employment of Aboriginal people.” Shirley Blacklaws

Artwork by Georgina Altona (Kamilaroi People).

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Desk Notes

from Volunteer Unit Manager, Toby Dawson

Did you know that Cancer Council NSW is the only cancer charity that has a regional office network that allows us to support all 152 Local Government Areas in NSW? This is one of our most powerful yet least known facts. For me it is our offices in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote NSW that allow us to demonstrate so many successful examples of community engagement. Community engagement is where we build ongoing relationships for the purpose of applying a collective vision that benefits a community. Our vision that ‘Together we will beat cancer’ engages more than 2,500 volunteers working through our office network across NSW. These volunteers contribute to each of the priority areas of work that Cancer Council NSW is involved in.

‘Our vision is impacting everywhere in our community. Do you know who your local Cancer Council volunteers are?’

Research – over 10,000 people from across NSW have volunteered their time and personal information to the Cancer, Lifestyle and Evaluation of Risk (CLEAR) Study so that we may one day find the answer to the question of what causes cancer. Prevention – teams of interns and volunteers contributed to educating 8,912 parents and carers about improving families’ vegetable and fruit intake after training in our Eat It To Beat It program. Information and Support – our volunteer-led teams ensured that we transported 5,541 people and assisted 1,084 patients, carers and families with in-home support. Advocacy – more than half the Members of the Legislative Assembly are now regularly in contact with a local volunteer MP Liaison. Fundraising – there are 56 Relay For Life events across the state that are put on by community committees for local community services. Our vision is impacting everywhere in our community. Do you know who your local Cancer Council volunteers are?

Toby Dawson

Inspirational volunteering achievement The Hunter Region proudly celebrated 15 years volunteer service with Cancer Council NSW Information Centre volunteer, Paula Anicich. Paula is the first Hunter Central Coast volunteer to have ever reached this milestone. The critical role that time constraints have on the potential for people to volunteer means that more and more of our community members are seeking shorter, more flexible volunteering opportunities. It is unusual for volunteers to reach 10 years service and very rare for them to reach 15 years. Paula has volunteered her skills, life experience, time, and expertise in many areas, including administration, at the Information Centre and with the Regional Advisory Committee. Paula has made a big difference by helping Cancer Council drive change at the grassroots level, especially for the Newcastle area. We greatly value Paula’s commitment, her passion and her contribution to the cancer cause, and look forward to her continued involvement.

Celebrating a great achievement (left to right): Greg Flint, General Manager, Calvary Mater Newcastle; Howard Dick, Cancer Council volunteer; Paula Anicich, Cancer Council NSW Information Centre volunteer; Sue Russell, Cancer Council staff member; and Jim L’Estrange, CEO, Cancer Council NSW.

Need help? Need practical help?

Coping with practical issues when you have a cancer diagnosis can be challenging. Having cancer may affect different parts of your lifestyle. Perhaps you are worried about how to get to treatment? Or need some help in the home? From diagnosis, through your treatment and beyond, Cancer Council NSW can provide practical support to help you feel more in control of your life. We offer practical support for people affected by cancer, and for their partners, family and friends at each stage of the cancer journey, through a variety of services, information and programs.

Pro Bono

Transport to treatment

We can help you if you or someone in your family has cancer, and you need advice. Cancer Council will connect you with a lawyer, financial planner, accountant or HR/recruitment professional who will help you. If you speak a language other than English, we can arrange an interpreter for you. Assistance is free for eligible clients.

Travelling to and from medical appointments is difficult for many people affected by cancer. Cancer treatment usually occurs over an extended period of time and requires repeated attendance at facilities which may be far from home. Radiotherapy, in particular, requires daily attendance for up to six weeks and a common side effect is fatigue, making it more challenging to travel.

The Cancer Council Pro Bono Program can help you with legal issues, financial planning, small business accounting, and workplace (HR or recruitment) advice.

Financial Assistance. Cancer Council NSW provides direct

emergency financial assistance to people affected by cancer and financial disadvantage. Assistance is provided in the form of bill payments for a range of eligible household expenses that don’t stop during treatment, emergency food and fuel vouchers for transport to treatment. A one off assistance of $250 or more is provided to eligible applicants. Patients are assessed by Oncology and other Social Workers based in hospitals and cancer treatment centres across NSW. Cancer Council NSW collaborates with Social Workers across NSW to make sure that assistance is delivered only to people who have no other financial options. To find out more about emergency assistance offered by Cancer Council NSW please contact the social work department of your treatment centre.

Counselling. Financial counselling is a free community service provided by financial counsellors working in non-profit organisations that assist consumers who are experiencing financial problems. A financial counsellor is a worker who acts without a conflict of interest, as a negotiator and an advocate on behalf of people who are at financial risk. No Interest Loan Scheme. The Cancer Council NSW No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) can provide loans of up to $1000 to eligible people affected by cancer and financial disadvantage. The loan can be used to pay for specific items, like white goods, furniture, travel to treatment costs which includes car repairs and car registration, accommodation for treatment and non PBS listed drugs if total cost of treatment is less than or equal to the loan amount.

In home help Treatment for cancer can sometimes cause the day to day tasks of functioning to become difficult. In home support is a volunteer run program that helps people who have been diagnosed with cancer and their families deal with everyday household tasks such as light housework, light cooking, transport to treatment or shopping, carer respite, or simply providing some friendly company.

Survivors programs The focus of survivorship programs is the management of physical and psychosocial effects people may experience post-treatment. Survivorship also addresses the impact of a cancer diagnosis on family, friends and carers. When recovering from cancer, survivors and their support network need to establish and maintain a ‘new normal’, which involves learning to adapt to their post-treatment lifestyle and accepting their changed ways of thinking in order to live positive and fulfilling lives. Cancer Council has Survivorship Programs such as: ENRICH – the exercise and nutrition routine improving cancer health; Living Well After Cancer program; Cancer, Work & You Webinars; and Young Adult (18-45 years) Webinars.

To learn more visit cancercouncil.com.au/getsupport/practical-support-services/ or telephone 13 11 20

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Fruit and veg for fussy eaters If you struggle to get your fussy eaters to eat their fruit and veg you might like to try some of the following tips. Hint: Don’t attempt all of these at once, instead pick one or two ideas and be consistent until these new behaviours become healthy habits.

Be persistent

Presentation is important

• Be a healthy role model – ensure that your child sees you eating and enjoying fruit and vegetables. • Offer new fruits and vegetables alongside familiar ones or as part of a favourite meal. • Keep serving it – research shows that children may need to be introduced to a new food at least eight times before they will accept it. • Be positive when encouraging your child to try new foods and praise them when they do.

• Start small – offer appropriate serving sizes, too much food can overwhelm kids with a small appetite. • Some children will prefer raw vegetables to cooked ones. • Offer different coloured fruits and vegetables to make meals look more attractive – try making vegieanimals or faces.

When all else fails, get sneaky Add grated vegetables to dishes such as bolognaise sauce, meat patties, meatballs, shepherd’s pie, tacos, quiches and omelettes. • If your child picks out the vegetables from their meal, try blending them into sauces instead. • Add extra vegetables such as mushrooms, capsicum and pineapple to pizzas. • Add mashed pumpkin or sweet potato to mashed potato.

Get them involved • Eat together as a family as often as possible – switch off the TV and make meal times a chance for the family to catch up. • Involve your child in meal preparation – children are more likely to eat something they have helped to create. • Take your child fruit and vegetable shopping and let them help with gathering some of the items on your shopping list. • Grow some vegetables or herbs in the garden or a pot. Let your child water and nurture the plant.

Further information The Eat It To Beat It program helps families understand how eating the right amount of fruit and vegetables helps fight against many types of cancer. For more tips visit www. cancercouncil.com.au/eatittobeatit For a wide range of healthy recipes, download the Eat It To Beat It booklet Easy fruit and veg. Great recipes for healthy kids here: cancercouncil. com.au/wp-content/uploads/ 2015/01/NU_EI2BI_Recipe-book_ Low-res.pdf

Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is an opportunity for friends, family or work-mates to get together over a cup of tea (or a skim latte!) and enjoy a bite to eat and good company while raising money to help Cancer Council beat cancer. Despite its name, you can choose to hold an afternoon tea, a BBQ or a dinner if you prefer. Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea in 2015 will be held on Thursday 28 May, but you can host a morning tea any time during May and June. Visit biggestmorningtea.com.au to find out more, including registration and hosting details.

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Healthy Lunch Box and Eat It To Beat It Every new year, tens of thousands of parents across the state start to get ready for their child’s first day at school. Crisp new uniforms, shiny black shoes…and the dreaded school lunch box. It’s a minefield for parents: how to pack the perfect school lunch box that is healthy and delicious; easy-to-make and won’t come home at the end of the day…five days a week. Enter Eat It To Beat It’s Healthy Lunch Box sessions. They’re free for parents, run for just 25 minutes, and are delivered by a small army of Cancer Council NSW volunteers from Wyong to Wagga. Over 2014, more than 600 sessions took place, all presented by 100 trained Program Facilitators. 2015 will be just as busy. The sessions run through the six steps to packing a perfect lunch box: plenty of fruit, lots of veg, water, and wholegrains, meat or alternatives, and a serve of dairy, like yoghurt. We outline all the food groups that should appear in the lunch box – and make it easy for parents to give their kids a healthy lunch box every day. Our volunteers also walk through Eat It To Beat It’s Healthy Lunch Box Kit, a free flip book given to every family, that includes lots of kid-friendly foods for the lunch box, providing a host of fruit and vegie packed ideas.

Healthy Lunch Box sessions give parents a basic understanding of why eating fruit and vegetables is so crucial to healthy eating and to maintaining a healthy weight. In NSW, 90 percent of adults don’t eat enough vegetables, and 50 percent don’t eat enough fruit – meaning most people aren’t getting their five serves of veg or two serves of fruit a day. We know five to twelve percent of all cancers could be prevented simply by eating the right amount of fruit and veg, so targeting parents of pre-kindergarten kids means our healthy eating message can have the most impact. Zoe Szewczyk, who started volunteering as a Program Facilitator this year, says she gets a lot of satisfaction from speaking directly to parents. “My feedback is always good – parents want the best for their kids, and with all the bombardment of advertising, aren’t always sure what makes a healthy choice. Our program is simple, not crowded with information, and takes it back to basics for parents. “We show parents that it is just a lunch box – and that you only have to remember six components to pack a healthy one.”

Every year in NSW more than 37,000 people are diagnosed with cancer and 13,000 lose their lives to the disease. In our state, every town, every community, and every family will be touched by cancer in some way.

Zoe Szewczyk introduces Healthy Lunch Box to parents.

Zoe says while she initially got involved with Eat It To Beat It for ‘selfish’ reasons, she now sees the value of the program for a broader audience. “I wanted experience, which is why I volunteered in the first place,” she explains. “I don’t want to give this gig up! Being a Program Facilitator is very rewarding. I love watching the penny drop as parents hear me talk about healthy lunch boxes.” With hundreds of Program Facilitators across the State, Eat It To Beat It is still always on the lookout for new, motivated volunteers who can present sessions and workshops on a semiregular basis. Visit eatittobeatit.com.au or call (02) 4923 0710 to find out more.

So we are calling on the next State Government to use their power to help beat cancer. And we need your help to start the change. Visit cancercouncil.com.au/ savinglife for more information.

That needs to change.

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Two cancer stories from the gap Robert Salt was born in a small country town called Brewarrina, population 800. His father, Robert Salt Snr, is of English and French ancestry and his mother was Evan Barker, a strong and well-respected woman whose cultural connections were Muruwari, Kunja and Wiradjuri. Growing up, Rob always respected and acknowledged both sides of his heritage, but was especially connected to his Aboriginal culture. His mother was very connected to her Aboriginality, as well as to creating social change in her community. She grew up on the Barwon Four Aboriginal reserve where she experienced “what many people read about in history books about Aboriginal people.”

have a yarn to, because even now I have questions about why it happened so quick, and why she was in a lot of pain, and what’s all these medications, that haven’t been answered.”

Robert’s mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2013 and passed away “on a beautiful Saturday morning” in January 2014. The passing was only a matter of months after her initial diagnosis and came as a great shock to Rob and his family, as well as their local community within which she was so well-regarded. Rob says she was his “family’s cultural connection, which is now forever lost.”

Robert’s mother would have been better supported through her cancer journey had there been an Aboriginal person in the local oncology section; not necessarily someone with an oncology background, but someone who was “strong in their Aboriginality, community-oriented, grounded and knowledgeable about cancer and the supports available” to reduce the physical, emotional and spiritual stress on Rob, his mother and their family.

Until their mother’s passing, Rob’s family had no direct experience with cancer and were not prepared for how physically and emotionally taxing the journey would be for them all. He said that he would have definitely benefited from more knowledge around what his mother was going through and how to best assist her. “I definitely reflect on what could have been done for myself and my family, and thinking back I can’t really recall there being a lot of assistance or a lot of information provided. I like to consider myself someone who’s well-connected, and I vaguely knew there were some support groups, but if I didn’t ask those questions, I probably wouldn’t know unless it was offered. So in relation to my personal journey, yeah, someone could have been more forthcoming of what’s available and who was there to

Robert Salt front and centre in the fight to close the gap.

“We need someone who, if they were going to work specifically on cancer as an issue, has flexibility. They might need to work outside of hours, they might have to work on the weekends, and they might get calls Sunday evening to pop around and have a yarn to someone, so they need to have not so many boundaries put in place. Unfortunately, cancer and peoples’ support needs don’t occur between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday, it’s often in the evenings or on weekends when people are lonely and have had time to think.” Rob and his sister have both agreed since their mother’s passing that having an Aboriginal person supporting them through the cancer journey would not only reduce the stress on them, but also make the experience more

“...support needs don’t occur between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday, it’s often in the evenings or on weekends when people are lonely and have had time to think.” Robert Salt

culturally appropriate. It would mean that “other hospital staff would get to understand our cultural connection to extended family and why it’s so important to have them present.” The hospital policy of only having two family members in the room doesn’t take into consideration the size of Aboriginal communities and families, and why it is culturally and spiritually necessary for them to be present. Having an Aboriginal person to communicate this to other staff would have ensured that Rob’s mother and family got the treatment and support they deserved. Rob is now working with Cancer Council NSW to advocate for an Aboriginal cancer workforce. Strengthening the Aboriginal health workforce is crucial if we are going to close the cancer morbidity gap, and to ensure that the cancer journey is made culturally safe for Aboriginal people.

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Hi. My name is Teena Binge (Brice) and I am a proud Aboriginal Woman from the Gamilaroi Tribe located in Western NSW. “I am writing this to talk a little about my father’s recent cancer journey. He left us on 23 May 2014 after a hard fight of around two years. This journey really opened my eyes to many issues as a result. “When my Dad got sick, it was a very big and traumatic shock to all of us, his family, friends, loved ones and community. To watch a strong, proud and passionate man slowly fade away and become a frail, sad man, was almost too much to bear for any of us, and it really had, and still has, a profound effect on us all. This was made so much more difficult as we tried to manoeuvre the many different departments and services that my dad needed to access, and didn’t really know or understand a lot of the processes, etc. “Now I have worked for Aboriginal health for 23 years, and the fact I was finding it all very difficult, confronting and confusing made me wonder what hope any of my mob had!

“I know of a lot of people who will not access services, or share their stories or needs with Non-Aboriginals, as they do not feel comfortable or confident to do so. There is the fear of judgment, not understanding Teena Binge before a map of Aboriginal Australia. ‘Our Ways’, and what other things in our lives such as family, community “A partnership approach and dependants, can mean to our with Aboriginal elders, ability to take care of ourselves. I also community members, realised that my people are missing out on a lot of services, assistance Aboriginal Community and support (i.e. palliative care, Controlled Health Services, respite, etc), as they were not willing or and other relevant comfortable to ask or interact with stakeholders, will be services, let alone find out and really essential in planning, understand them and what else can be offered. implementing and

“I really believe that all it would take in “One of the things that I think could’ve a lot of these areas is to have an made our journey easier, and would’ve Aboriginal face present, to assist with given us more quality time to spend having someone to relate and talk to with each other instead of the who understands our ways. stress of trying to figure it all Sometimes the difference out, would have been between someone the availability of “To have accessing a service Aboriginal Cancer or turning around someone around Care workers. To at the front door who understands us as have someone is the people around who a people, a culture, and they see, and understands us the ‘vibe’ they someone who we felt as a people, get when they comfortable, familiar a culture, and walk through someone who and trusting of, would the front door. we felt have made a huge “A partnership comfortable, difference...” approach with familiar and trusting Aboriginal elders, of, would have made Teena Binge community members, a huge difference in Aboriginal Community how we travelled.

evaluating an Aboriginal workforce strategy for cancer services.” Teena Binge

Controlled Health Services, and other relevant stakeholders, will be essential in planning, implementing and evaluating an Aboriginal workforce strategy for cancer services. This will ensure that the process is holistic and guided by the principles of self-determination, equal partnership and mutual respect. “We have to do something. And we have to do something now! “Thanks for listening.”

An extract from the Cancer Council NSW Annual Report 2013/14

OUR COMMUNITIES As a 97% community‑funded and community‑focused organisation, Cancer Council NSW works in and with communities across the state.

With a network of 17 offices across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote NSW, we can ensure that our services and programs are tailored to the distinct needs of each community. This is important, because our vision of beating cancer can only be realised by harnessing the support and power of our community to achieve better cancer outcomes and drive positive and lasting change at the grassroots level.

In order to beat cancer, we need to work with individuals and communities across the state. We need to ensure that our research uncovers the cancer causes and outcomes in different populations, and that our programs, services and campaigns recognise and include the diverse communities – with more than 30% of the nearly seven million NSW residents having been born overseas, 36% living outside metropolitan areas and over 30% of Australia’s Aboriginal people living in NSW. We work with communities to understand their needs and provide tools, programs, resources and services to cover the breadth and depth of the cancer journey.

Access to quality information is a fundamental element of a healthy community. Our Community Speakers Program builds the capacity of community members to deliver 30‑minute presentations on a variety of subjects, including cancer prevention, early detection, support services, research

Working with the support of local networks and partners ensures that we can provide tailored services in local communities:

ENGAGING REGIONAL COMMUNITIES Our four regional networks engage with and support local communities in regional, rural and remote NSW, covering all 152 Local Government Areas across the state. As well as providing practical support services, we support local networks of committed people and partners. One of our biggest challenges is ensuring access to cancer information, support and care for patients living in non‑metropolitan areas, who have limited access to health and community services or live in remote locations. To address these issues, we now provide 10 in‑home support services and 16 transport services, meaning that in 2013/14, we were able to provide transport for 5,541 people, and assisted 1,084 cancer patients, carers and families with in‑home support. We also have 23 volunteer information services across NSW in hospitals and treatment centres, where our trained volunteers provide practical and emotional support to cancer patients, families and friends.

and Cancer Council NSW’s involvement in the community. Our Community Speakers are specially trained volunteers, who delivered 332 talks in 2013/14 in a range of contexts, including community groups, sports clubs, support groups, multicultural groups and corporate organisations.

Cancer Council NSW Annual Report 2013/14

Four Regional Advisory Committees support and enable Cancer Council NSW by identifying local cancer‑related issues in regional areas, building further partnerships and networks, and providing advice on our regional strategic direction. For example, our Regional Advisory Committee in Southern NSW has been working on improving engagement with local Community Cancer Networks and extending the reach of Cancer Council NSW’s work into under‑represented communities. Thanks to this work, we now have two Aboriginal Cancer Networks in the region: the Yuin Koori Cancer Network and the Shoalhaven Koori Cancer Network. Our 30 Community Cancer Networks connect Cancer Council NSW with the local community, providing relevant insight, developing strategies, and delivering information and support services. The Border Advocacy Network in south‑western NSW, for example, supported Cancer Council NSW’s tobacco control advocacy campaigns in 2013/14, and campaigned for local issues, such as

the provision of psychosocial care for cancer patients and parking at the new Albury Cancer Centre. We have 169 formalised partnerships with other organisations, including local councils, health services and non‑governmental organisations through agreements or Memorandums of Understanding, which ensure that we can engage and support local communities more effectively. We work with a number of regional universities, including the Southern Cross University, the University of New England, Charles Sturt University and the University of Wollongong, providing student internship opportunities and forming research partnerships. In 2013/14, for example, we partnered with the University of Wollongong to research our engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities through focus group discussions; to design appropriate community engagement strategies; and to develop plain English information resources.

ENGAGING WITH ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES Cancer is the second most common cause of death for Aboriginal people, and there is a 17‑year life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and non‑Aboriginal Australians. Cancer Council NSW is committed to closing this gap. Our first Reconciliation Action Plan aimed to establish a solid foundation of respect and to begin to develop relationships across NSW. We completed 75% of our 2012/13 Reconciliation Action Plan action items, and are currently using the findings of Cancer Council NSW’s Aboriginal Patterns of Cancer Care (APOCC) Project (see page 11) and our on‑the‑ground connections within local communities to inform the development of our second Reconciliation Action Plan, which will inform our strategy for making a greater impact on cancer in Aboriginal people.

With almost 30% of the NSW population speaking a language other than English at home, and with language remaining a barrier to accessing cancer information and services, Cancer Council NSW is committed to engaging with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities across NSW.

Almost 30% of the NSW population speak a language other than English at home.

Providing in‑language information and resources to help people from CALD communities is central to our work. Our multilingual website, which features information and fact sheets in seven language groups (Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Spanish, Macedonian and Vietnamese) was awarded the Multicultural Health Communication Award in July 2013 by NSW Health. By developing programs to meet community needs and raise cancer awareness, we work together with CALD communities, multicultural health workers

TOGETHER WE WILL BEAT CANCER ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14

97% community funded

Annual Report 2013/14

With the momentum that these workshops created around impacting cancer outcomes for Aboriginal people, a number of communities have set up Aboriginal Cancer Networks. Supported by Cancer Council NSW, the networks drive Aboriginal community engagement and cancer control in local communities.

ENGAGING WITH CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES

and other institutions to improve cancer outcomes. This year, for example, we continued our work on our ‘B Positive’ Program (see page 11), working with affected communities. We also partnered with the University of Wollongong and Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District to address cancer and stigma in Serbian and Macedonian communities as part of our Cancer Good News Project, funded by a grant from the Cancer Institute NSW. We know from our research that certain migrant groups may require targeted intervention to improve uptake of cancer screenings, and our focus group interviews with community members revealed that cancer in Serbian and Macedonian communities was often greatly feared and had strong associations with death, loss and grief. To raise awareness of cancer, foster discussion within the community and highlight the importance of screening, the project included the development of culturally appropriate bilingual resources, including a multilingual website cancer‑goodnews. com.au. We also supported Serbian and Macedonian community representatives to become Community Speakers and share their stories about how screening and early diagnosis helped them to beat the cancer stigma and impacted positively on their own cancer journeys.

Cancer Council NSW

In order to attempt to close the gap and improve cancer outcomes for Aboriginal people across the state, we are rolling out community workshops across NSW, together with the Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council and Cancer Institute NSW. With 16 workshops already completed, and a further eight planned for the coming year, we will deliver a total of 24 workshops during the two‑year project, which started in 2013. The workshops aim to raise awareness of cancer prevention, risk factors and treatment; identify solutions to local issues related to cancer; and promote and facilitate local partnerships between key service providers. As part of the wrap‑up of the two‑day workshop, participants create a Community Cancer Action Plan that provides ongoing direction for impacting cancer outcomes in local communities.

Using the Community Cancer Action Plan from the workshops, these community networks are focusing on directly impacting cancer outcomes. Six Aboriginal Cancer Networks were established in 2013/14 across NSW, including in Orange, Newcastle and Shoalhaven.

$130m arch Invested in rese years over the last 10

Read more of Cancer Council’s Annual Report 2013/14 here: cancercouncil.com.au/annualreport2014

Cancer Council NSW Annual Report 2013/14 23

VolunteerVoice | March2015

“Volunteer? Me? I’ll tell you why.” An interview with Metro Region volunteer Patrick MacDonagh-Gonda advocate for issues that matter to my community. And lastly, to be awarded “Community Hero” at the Coles store that I work at (when I’m not studying at university), for the voluntary work I do with Cancer Council NSW.”

What part of volunteering at Cancer Council do you enjoy most? “Meeting passionate and like-minded people, educating the community on how to live healthier, and being part of an organisation which is improving the lives of so many people.”

What is your most memorable moment at Cancer Council? Northern Sydney volunteer Patrick MacDonagh-Gonda at just one point of change.

What have you been working on with Cancer Council’s Northern Sydney team? “I have been working with the Northern Sydney team for nearly a year and have been involved in numerous campaigns and programs. I started out this year working on the SunSmart campaign, which was a blitz to join up as many primary schools to the program as possible. As that slowed down in the winter months, I was asked to be a Saving Life 2015 advocacy campaign leader for my electoral district of Manly. “After attending an amazing two day conference in July, I quickly learnt how much hard work the advocacy department does and the impact it can have on government legislation. This was a totally new and unexpected experience for me as I was contacting local MPs and community leaders to get behind the Five key issues relating to cancer in the lead up to the NSW state election in March 2015. “Whilst this was going on I also joined the Eat It To Beat It program, and was 12

trained to be a facilitator for the Healthy Lunch Box sessions. This involved me going out to primary schools along the Northern Beaches to speak to parents at kindergarten orientations about the importance of good nutrition.”

“Presenting an Eat It To Beat It talk to over 150 parents, and having them come up to me afterwards to tell me how much they loved the program and what a difference it will make to how they eat.”

What did you do during Summer 2014/15?

“Apart from having a three month university holiday (wooh!), I was What is your “...I quickly learnt involved with the biggest Sun Sound how much hard work volunteer for all the advocacy department campaign achievement beaches and so far? does and the impact it can pools in the Manly area. The “There have been have on government campaign is many personal legislation.” targeted towards milestones that I Patrick MacDonagh-Gonda teenagers to be have achieved while safer whilst in the sun volunteering with during Summer, with a Cancer Council NSW. jingle playing every hour Firstly, I am able to help from 11am to 3pm at local others in the community through beaches and pools to remind people health education and promotion on to re-apply sunscreen.” nutrition, exercise and skin cancer protection. Secondly, I have managed to be a part of programs such as the Saving Life 2015 campaign which have made me go outside of my comfort zone at times to

And finally, how would you describe Cancer Council NSW in just three words? “Passionate, determined and inclusive.”

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Metro Sydney

Our Volunteer In-Home Support Service The Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Volunteer In-Home Support Service is a free Cancer Council NSW service where trained volunteers are available to assist patients postsurgery, and those undergoing treatment, during a In-Home Support Service volunteers very difficult time. Romny Vandoros (left) and Joanne Hill. Volunteers can assist people who reside in Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai Local Government Areas at home, for example with light housework, shopping assistance, preparation of light meals, companionship, respite for carers, or provide transport to doctors and treatment. The service is coordinated by volunteers Romny Vandoros and Joanne Hill. Romny was first involved in the pilot study for the Service back in 2013. Joanne was previously a Cancer Council Information Centre volunteer at the Sydney Adventist Hospital. Both Romny and Joanne are now responsible for recruitment and training of volunteers, as well as taking referrals and matching of volunteers with cancer patients. “I really appreciate being involved in a program which is needed and much appreciated. I will always remember the first family I assisted. I remember how gracious and appreciative they were of the service we were providing,” says Romny. Whilst the benefits to our clients are the main focus of this service, it is also an opportunity for our volunteers to be involved in a supportive team. Romny says, “[I] also enjoy the people aspect – meeting the clients and volunteers, and working with my colleagues in the office. Everyone is passionate about their mission at Cancer Council, and so positive and encouraging.” For more information about the Service, or if you are interested in becoming involved as a volunteer, please contact the team on (02) 9334 1605.

“I will always remember the first family I assisted. I remember how gracious and appreciative they were of the service we were providing.” Romny Vandoros

Volunteer Profile “My name is Lisa Smajlov. When I first heard about Relay For Life, I was drawn to the community aspect. As a Community Coordinator my passion is bringing people together. Psychologically, cancer treatment is a rollercoaster of emotions and often very isolating. The value of bringing people together – survivors, carers and the general community, not just for a few hours, but 24 hours on the Relay track, is incalculable.

“What keeps me returning every year is seeing survivors who come back, share their journey, and inspire me through their positivity and strength.” Lisa Smajlov “I also Relay because when I was in my mid 20’s I had an abnormal pap smear. Laser surgery efficiently zapped it, but unfortunately, too many of my family and my friends have (and still are) battling this insidious disease. Often I feel helpless in the face of cancer, but through being a part of Relay I feel like I am taking a stand in solidarity against the disease. “At the heart of every Relay for me are the connections formed in the community – individuals, teams, entertainers and business, all coming together. Entwined with the community to raise money is the opportunity for local entertainers to perform, fun events like ‘Ms Relay’, Tug of War and Silent Disco, and Fight Back activities like the Candidates’ Debate to raise awareness and advocate for change. “As I walk around the track and see people participating in activities, catching up, and the committee working behind the scenes, I feel a sense of hope. What keeps me returning every year is seeing survivors who come back, share their journey, and inspire me through their positivity and strength. At candlelight I remember the family and friends who are no longer with us – but always walking alongside me on the track.”

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Greater Western Sydney

Angela’s Healthy Lunch Box experience Angela Teh’s passion and background for nutrition and public health led her to join our Eat It to Beat It program at Parramatta office as an intern, and rewarded her with personal accomplishment and professional growth. Angela’s work has been remarkable. Working closely with Nina, Eat to Beat It Project Officer at Great Western Sydney, Angela (pictured above) expertly managed the lunch box project in our region. She delivered Healthy Lunch Box presentations to primary

schools, and facilitated fruit and veggie sense workshops to parents of primary school aged children. She also planned and organised data, and managed tasks and resources for a successful Healthy Lunch Box project.

Angela’s desire to help others to take control of their nutrition lifestyles has enabled her to make important life decisions that contributed to her personal and professional growth. Angela’s passion for healthy nutrition is reflected in her daily life through the “Working for communication of a leading eating information with friends and daily organisation as exercise.

Far beyond professional accomplishments, for Angela the Eat It to Beat It program represented the opportunity to share her interest for Cancer Council has healthy nutrition habits been a great with many people, the experience.” chance to convey an important message to Angela Teh the community, and to gain self-confidence in public speaking and on-phone conversation.

Thank you so much Angela for sharing your life objectives with us, and for making the Cancer Council mission to beat cancer your aim.

Transport to Treatment – terrific teamwork In just 15 weeks university placement, Lara Zabala, Basma Barsoum and Camille CarsonYoung (our fantastic social worker ‘three musketeers), shared with us an important lesson – working in a team not only brings concrete results, but also enhances reciprocal trust, collaboration, and a sense of personal accomplishment. Their work at Cancer Council included contacting and building relationships with local community and hospital-based transport providers to learn more about their services for cancer patients in Greater Western Sydney. They documented all this information, and eventually presented it in a user-friendly spreadsheet for staff. Transport to Treatment services play a crucial role in Cancer Council NSW’s efforts to improve quality of

life of cancer patients and their families. This newly created transport services hub will certainly facilitate the work of Greater Western Sydney Cancer Council staff, and as our passionate girls suggested, “help a lot of people and Transport-to-Treatment Team at Blacktown Relay For Life. L-R: give a bit back to Kathie Collins (Chairperson of the Blacktown Community Cancer the community”.

Network (BCCN), Camille Carson-Young, Lara, Basma Barsoum,

Our resolute and Rodney Titovs (Community Programs Coordinator, Penrith) transport experts also helped at Daffodil Day in August, Unfortunately time went so quickly, and on a Liverpool parking survey, and Basma, Camille and Lara’s 15 weeks Blacktown Relay for Life transport placement came to an end. We audit, while variously still having time celebrated parting with a cake, but our and energy to dance, go to church, girls had already pledged to come and work as a swim instructor during back. Looking forward to seeing you time off. again, ladies!

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Hunter Central Coast

Margie Mitchell, our leading lady According to Macquarie University, one of the better-known benefits of volunteering is the impact on the community. Unpaid volunteers are often the glue that holds a community together. This certainly is true for our Singleton office, who opened their doors in 2012 with two staff, one full-time, one part-time, and a small volunteer team. Today, the office continues to make great strides in the local and surrounding communities thanks to the ongoing teamwork of both staff and volunteers. Recently, we recognised Margie Mitchell for her contribution to community connection through volunteering. Margie began volunteering in the Singleton Office in 2012. She was one of three volunteers who supported the day to day administration of the office. Margie continues to provide essential office administration support. However, her role has expanded to include working on Singleton Relay, and coordinating the distribution of information resources in the Upper Hunter area.

Margie Mitchell holding granddaughter Ella, with daughter Kate, and husband, Peter, holding their grandson, Harry.

“Margie is a great example of what volunteering is doing in our communities,” says Community Coordinator, Aroha Nisbett. “Volunteers connect Cancer Council to each local community. They help shape the work we deliver, and they

ensure that the work we are doing makes your community a better place. Volunteers tell us what needs doing, and then make sure we are doing it.”

“Volunteers connect Cancer Council to each local community. They help shape the work we deliver, and they ensure that the work we are doing makes your community a better place.” Aroha Nisbett

Since late last year, Cancer Council NSW has been working in partnership with the Central Coast Local Health District to provide support and information volunteers to assist cancer patients attending the Wyong Chemotherapy Day Unit, located at Wyong Hospital. Cancer Council’s Information Centre volunteers connect cancer patients, their carers and family, with information and support services available to the Central Coast community. They offer one-on-one interactions serving refreshments, provide DVD entertainment whilst patients have their chemotherapy treatment, or simply sit and have a chat with patients.

Central Coast opens new Information Centre Our volunteers assist Wyong Hospital’s health professionals by directing patients to relevant locations, restocking medical equipment trolleys, and reordering and restocking the Cancer Council information stands within the hospital. Cancer Council NSW Information Centre volunteers have each completed a two-day training workshop to prepare them for this

sensitive and important role of working within a Cancer Day Unit with cancer patients and their support networks. Learn more about volunteering at one of our Information Centres here: cancercouncil.com.au/7952/ get-support/support-forpatients-family-friends/ information-centres/cancercouncil-information-centres-3/

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Northern NSW

Volunteer of the Year Awards • Volunteer Community Speaker for Cancer Council since 2006. Thank you for all of your incredible dedication and hard work, Doug. We are grateful to have you as part of the Northern NSW team.

Thank you, Jennifer Congratulations to Jennifer Lock (pictured left), who was honoured to receive a finalist award at the Mid North Coast Volunteer of the Year Awards.

Congratulations, Doug Huge congratulations to Doug Stinson, who was awarded finalist for Senior NSW Volunteer of the Year. Doug (pictured above with Dani Yannoulis, Community Coordinator, Volunteering and Partnerships) has been with Cancer Council NSW for a number of years and has worked across many areas of our organisation. Since retiring in 1993 from the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Ballina District Hospital after some 40 years in Health Administration, Doug went on to become: • Member, Board of Management of North Coast Breast Screen (19992003) and President (2000-2003).

• Inaugural Chairman of Ballina Relay For Life Organising Committee (2003) and Chair of subsequent Organising Committees (2005 and 2007), and an active member of this committee for every Relay. • Inaugural member and Deputy Chair of The NSW Cancer Council State Task Force into the development of Relay For Life (2006-2012). • Australia’s International Relay For Life Newsletter Correspondent (2008-2010). • Far North Coast Regional Advisory Committee Member for Cancer Council since its inception in 2006. Chair since 2012. • Chair of Ballina Cancer Network Committee since its 2008 inception.

Jennifer has been an asset to the Coffs Harbour office for the past five years, assisting with everything media-related. She is the go-to person for media release writing, interviewing fundraisers, distributing releases, liaising with media outlets, and collating media coverage around Relay For Life, Do It For Cancer and Pink events. It is largely thanks to Jennifer’s efforts that the Coffs Harbour office is ‘sitting pretty’ when it comes to the amount of media coverage we receive. We are extremely fortunate to be able to count Jennifer as part of our team – she plays a hugely important role in getting the word out there, and we hope she can continue to be part of our team for many years to come.

Pink Ribbon Day Pink Ribbon has seen huge success across the Northern NSW Region, and Pink Ribbon Day was no exception. An army of volunteers passionately advocated for us on the day, finding countless opportunities to share how Cancer Council NSW supports breast and gynaecological cancer both on a state and local level. Volunteers included local health practitioners, survivors, patients, cancer action group leaders, and support group members. We are privileged to have such a depth of volunteers, which inherently allows us to connect with the community on many different levels. By 2014’s end our Pink Ribbon sites had fundraised well over $40,000. All in all it was a great day with big energy, and was enjoyed by everyone involved.

Pink was the order of the day for Bianca, Sandie and Rosa.

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Southern NSW

Bega has a Relay first

Change starts here With over 13,000 CanAct community members nationwide, it’s no surprise that we have a high number of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers in our Southern region. Some are volunteers of the Southern Highlands General and Practical Support Service (GAPS), known for the amazing support they provide to patients and carers. Now they’re supporting Cancer Council’s Vision for change: change starts here campaign. With the campaign encouraging local change to be brought about towards achieving state and nationwide change, support from individuals and community groups like GAPS is essential. In further support, Jennifer Mozina and Sally Hudson from the Southern office met with MP John Barilaro (pictured above) to talk about the Saving Life 2015 campaign. The focus of this campaign is ‘taking it local,’ consistent with the idea that ‘change starts here’, regardless of where you are within NSW. John is extremely passionate about cancer services in his electorate, and his support for the work of Cancer Council is highly appreciated. He is especially supportive of the advocacy campaign aimed at the NSW Government to improve services in regional communities. The support from our community members in differing occupations will be vital in bringing about local change.

While there was much excitement over the good weather at the Bega Relay For Life, excitement came from something else, too. In a first for Bega, Relay For Life featured the involvement of the first ever Indigenous team, with 39 participants! The support was overwhelming, with the Relay including a Close the Gap lap.

Community Speakers ready to spread the word.

The team became involved through the Yuin Koori Cancer Network, with the Yuin Nation composed of the Bega and Eurobodalla region. Their involvement was just one initiative of the group, with them having previously met with Community Program Coordinator Jennifer Mozina to discuss the need for an increased Aboriginal Workforce in Cancer Services, one of five main issues identified by the Vision for Change. Their dedication to the cause is inspiring and will surely be the beginning of future partnerships. Their involvement on the day widened the reach of Cancer Council initiatives, with hope being spread even further throughout the Bega community. This can be seen in the October intake and training of Community Speakers. Community Coordinator Leah Dawson travelled to Bega to train a group of eleven, seven of whom were Aboriginal people. Inspired by the involvement of the Yuin Koori Cancer Network, these individuals have jumped on board to provide essential cancer prevention education to their community.

Volunteer Profile Human Resources intern at our Southern office, Katrine Lunde, is inspired by working and engaging with people. Originally from Norway, Katrine studied Commerce with a major in International Business and Human Resources at Wollongong University. “I enjoy working for an organisation that is working towards a good cause. Being a part of this has given me a lot of motivation, and I feel

proud to say that I’m interning at the Cancer Council,” she said. Katrine’s pride is evident within the great work she does in the office, and her community spirit. It was Katrine’s influence that inspired her friends to become involved with the Illawarra Relay for Life, and her enthusiasm that surely inspired many on the day.

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Western NSW

Alix Weidner “I interned with Cancer Council for just over four months, and from when I first began my placement till the end, my perceptions of the community have changed significantly. “I originally come from a small community, so I always knew the community had a voice, but I never really knew how loud it could be. I have been under the supervision of a Community Programs Coordinator, and this is where I have developed my understanding of the community’s power and persuasion. “I attended and participated in advocacy groups in both the Albury and Corowa communities, and I have seen and learnt how much these groups achieve for their communities in the way of change, information and support. “I also attended the Planning for Change conference in Sydney, and saw how community groups from across NSW are coming together and fighting to make a change at policy level. “Since being with Cancer Council NSW I have seen the accomplishments that community groups achieve, and have developed a huge appreciation for community-focused people and groups.”

“I have seen and learnt how much these groups achieve for their communities.” Alix Weidner

Village supports Pink Residents of the lifestyle village The Grange in Wagga Wagga united together this October to show their support for Pink Ribbon Day. A community of its own, residents gathered together at the village’s community centre for a lovely afternoon of home-baked goods, raffle prizes, and guessing competitions. The event was hosted by local Grange residents Maureen Dietmann and Pam Robinson, along with the support of other local ladies. Over 70 residents and guests attended the afternoon, including four very brave men, and raised over $1,700 in a few short hours. The Grange Lifestyle Village is a great supporter of Cancer Council, and often gathers together to hold various

A community united by Pink.

events, such as Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. Three residents of The Grange also volunteered their time on Pink Ribbon Day to assist on stalls, selling merchandise, and helping raise awareness amongst the local community.

No border for Border Relay Another incredible Relay was held on the border for Albury Wodonga this year, with 2,650 registered participants and $440,000 raised for Cancer Council NSW. The annual event, now in its thirteenth year, never ceases to amaze as it continues to grow and unite the region for a common cause. The event has grown in popularity, with the Relay becoming a shining star on the region’s busy event calendar. It is an event that creates cancer awareness within the community, and also provides support and comfort to those suffering. The enthusiasm of the committee, team captains and participants is unquenchable – a fabulous vibe fills the community for the four months leading up to the event. The Relay itself then becomes a wonderful celebration of life, a time to remember those we have sadly lost, while also providing a platform to raise money to help others in the future.

Photo courtesy of David Gordon.

Volunteer Profile

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Relay record Over the weekend of 1-2 November 2014, a record-breaking 636 locals set up camp and walked around Northparkes Oval for 17 hours straight at the Parkes and District Relay For Life. Together they proudly raised a preliminary total of $45,930, confident of cracking the $50K mark when the final team fundraising dollars came in. A wonderful weekend was shared. There was laughter and tears as participants celebrated survivorship, remembered those who have lost their battle with cancer, and made a pledge to fight back against this disease – an amazing atmosphere of community spirit. Cancer Council NSW would like to thank the participants, donors and local businesses for their support. Bree Kelly, Community Relations Coordinator for Cancer Council, said, “There were so many highlights throughout the event, but my favourites would have been the moving Hope Ceremony at dusk, seeing the creative fundraising activities out on the track, and experiencing the entire Parkes community coming together for those affected by cancer. I loved being a part of the extraordinary atmosphere that was created over the weekend.” Special thanks to the Volunteer Organising Committee, whose time, energy and skill made the event possible: Wilbur Harris (Chairperson), Renee Rice, Kay Newbigging, Ann-Marie Winter, Donna Payne, Tim Keith, Graeme Williams, and Sharyn Ware. The success of Relay lies in the shaping hands of these wonderful community members. Relay funds help Cancer Council NSW get that much closer to achieving our mission – to beat cancer. Money raised will go towards world-class research, and will also be reinvested into the Parkes community through cancer prevention and support programs.

Recipe Corner

Book Review The Rescue Described by author, Carolyn Reardon-Neuman

Potato Frittata Serves: 4 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Ingredients 250g sweet potato, sliced 250g potato, sliced 1 tsp olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 bunch baby spinach, washed and drained 3 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 tsp nutmeg Method • Preheat grill. Boil potato for 45 minutes until tender, or microwave on high (100%) in a covered dish with 1 tablespoon water for 5-6 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes. Drain well. • Heat oil in a non-stick fry pan, add onion and cook for 2 minutes until golden. Add potato, toss to combine and brown. • Stir in spinach and stir-fry until wilted and moisture has evaporated. • Mix eggs, cheese and nutmeg in a small bowl and pour into pan. Cook over low heat until set. Place under hot grill for 2 minutes to brown the top. Variation: Try finely shredded Chinese cabbage instead of spinach. LiveLighter © State of Western Australia 2013, reproduced with permission.

This memoir chronicles, with a dose of humour, the experience of rescuing a dog who was close to death. This particular dog returned the favour and was pivotal in rescuing me, a year later, from the very same condition. I have lived in the same town, Cape Cod, USA, for 22 years with my husband and daughter. We are a typical middle class family, balancing work and the rigours of raising a teenage daughter. We rescued our dog, Poe, from a shelter, where we found him sick, starving and terrified. In an effort to bring Poe back to life through regular walking, jogging and exercise, I met many wonderful dogs and ‘dog people’. These new people brought into our lives by Poe would figure prominently in our lives after I received a breast cancer diagnosis at age 45. Through the diagnosis, subsequent treatment and eventual recovery, my love for Poe and the kindness of the ‘dog people’ helped rescue me. Poe and I are now both healthy, happy, and grateful for each other. This is not a cancer book, although cancer is a major topic. This is not strictly a dog book either, though dogs are at its heart. This is a book about appreciating the little things that bring you joy, finding humour in whatever life throws at you, and finding ways to cope through difficult trials. I hope it is a humorous account of coping with life and the ‘booby prize’ of breast cancer.

VolunteerVoice | March2015

Events Calendar Relay For Life Orange and District: Orange Waratah Sports Club, Orange, 7 March Tweed Valley: Wommin Bay Rd, Kingscliff, 7 March Lower Clarence (Yamba): Yamba Public School, Yamba 14 & 15 March Bathurst and District: Kendall Ave, Bathurst, 14 March Dungog: Dungog Showground, Dungog, 21 March Shellharbour: Albion Park Showground, Albion Park, 21 March Gosford City: Central Coast Grammar School, Arundel Road, Erina Heights, 28 March Shoalhaven Nowra: Nowra Showground, Nowra, 28 March Casino: Queen Elizabeth Park, Casino, 28 March Liverpool Plains (Quirindi): Quirindi Showground and Racecourse, Quirindi, 28 March Muswellbrook Shire: Theiss Crescent, Muswellbrook, 28 March

Yass: Yass Showground, Yass, 4 April Cowra and Districts: West Cowra Recreation Ground, West Cowra, 11 April Sutherland Shire: Sylvania Waters Field, Sylvania Waters, 2 May Penrith: Howell Oval, Station Street, Penrith, 2 May Hills: Centenary Of Anzac Reserve, Wrights Road, Castle Hill, 16 May Hornsby Ku-ring-gai: Rofe Park, Galston Rd, Hornsby Heights, 16 May

Help us beat cancer Register to join a research study today! Cancer Council and other academic bodies conduct research studies to do with cancer. These studies may be questionnaire based surveys, focus groups and interviews or other types of research. Study participants will not necessarily be cancer patients. Please register your interest to be included on our database. Your story or the story of someone you know will help us find the answers.

Nominate a Star Volunteer Help recognise and highlight the amazing work of our volunteers in helping us to beat cancer. Nominations for Star Volunteers are currently being accepted at cancercouncil.com.au/ starvolunteer Winners are announced on the first Wednesday of each month. For more information visit the Cancer Council NSW website and search Star Volunteer Award.

Your local Cancer Council contact details Metro Regions: Metro Sydney 153 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011 (PO Box 572, Kings Cross NSW 1340)

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Northern Sydney Community Office Crows Nest Regional Office, Level I, 117 Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest NSW 2065

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(02) 9334 1754 (02) 9334 1600

Greater Western Sydney Parramatta Regional Office, Rotary House, 43 Hunter St, Parramatta NSW 2150 (PO Box 3426) .. (02) 9354 2000 Casula Community Office 39 Ingham Drive, Casula NSW 2170 (PO Box 287)

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Penrith Community Office 114-116 Henry St, Penrith NSW 2750 (PO Box 4379)

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Rouse Hill Community Office Health One, The Terrace, 40 Panmure Street, Rouse Hill NSW 2155 (PO Box 6112)

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(02) 9354 2050 (02) 9354 2060 (02) 9354 2070

Regional and Rural offices: Hunter & Central Coast Charlestown Regional Office, Unit C1.2, Level 1, Landmark Building, 215 Pacific Hwy, Charlestown NSW 2290 .................................................................................................................................................................................... (02) 4923 0700 Upper Hunter Community Office 69 John St, Singleton 2330 (PO Box 570) ................................................................................................ (02) 6571 2899 Erina Fair Community Office The Hive, Erina Fair, Erina NSW 2250 (PO Box 5102)

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(02) 4336 4500

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(02) 6627 0300

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(02) 6659 8400

Northern NSW Suites 8 & 9, Level 1, 130 Jonson Street, Byron Bay NSW 2481 Coffs Harbour Office 121 High St, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450

Southern NSW Wollongong Regional Office, Suite 7 Ground Floor, iC Enterprise 1, Innovation Campus, Squires Way, North Wollongong NSW 2500 (PO Box 21, Fairy Meadow NSW 2519)

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(02) 4223 0200

Bega Community Office Shop 8, Auckland Plaza, 81-83 Auckland St, Bega NSW 2550 (PO Box 772)

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(02) 6492 1805

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(02) 6392 0800

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(02) 6937 2600

Western NSW Orange Regional Office, 4a/122-124 Kite Street, Orange NSW 2800 (PO Box 1977) Wagga Wagga Office: 1/37 Tompson St, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 (PO Box 1164)

CAN3001 03/15

Tamworth Office Shop 1, 218 Peel St, Tamworth NSW 2340 (PO Box 1616) ................................................................................................. (02) 6763 0900