Friday 4 February 2022 is World Cancer Day
This is an international day which raises awareness of cancer to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. Medical radiation practitioners play an integral part in the cancer journey for patients, from detection, through to treatment, and in the follow up for patients after their treatment. The World Cancer Day website has a range of information about cancer and its impact throughout the world, with the current campaign being “Close the Care Gap”. There are also toolkits, posters, infographics and banners available to download.
To celebrate World Cancer Day, ASMIRT has collated a range of educational materials for members to acquaint themselves with this year’s theme #CloseTheCareGap and cancer – we hope you enjoy reading these articles and watching these videos:
ASMIRT VIC CEC – CARE TO TALK
The Victorian branch’s Continuing Education Committee presented this highly informative session on the benefits of specialised communication when working with minority and disadvantaged groups. Presenters and topics are:
Natasha Ravlich – Deaf awareness presentation from Expression Australia
Greg Trypis – Communicating with students
Rachel Challen – Communicating with patients with Dementia
Carlie Alicastro – Child Life Therapy
Fiona Pinikahana & Pauline Trinh – Hearing Impaired Radiographers in the Workforce.
This video will be available on strictly limited release for one day – World Cancer Day on Friday 4 February – via our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ASMIRTorg
THE UMBRELLA SERIES – LGBTIQ+
Featured in the December issue of Spectrum magazine, the first part of our 3-part Umbrella Series discusses #CloseTheCareGap for our LGBTIQ+ patients. Read the article – https://www.asmirt.org/asmirt_core/wp-content/uploads/Spectrum-December-2021_Umbrella-Series.pdf – and keep an eye out for Part 2 in our March issue of Spectrum, which will cover caring for those patients who experience Cultural Diversity.
PARTYLINE – TELEHEALTH
Queensland, as the second-biggest state in Australia, experiences issues for those in rural or remote area who need to travel to access treatment. Medical oncologist and James Cook University (JCU) Professor, Dr Sabe Sabesan, knows the problems caused by distance and has created an innovative solution by harnessing emerging technologies. This article from Rural Health shares Dr Sabesan’s pioneering telehealth models in Queensland for cancer care and his state and national policies and frameworks over his decade-long research. Partyline is the online magazine of the National Rural Health Alliance. https://www.ruralhealth.org.au/partyline/article/pioneers-telehealth-connecting-outback-communities-cancer-care
CARE@HOME – INDIGENOUS HEALTH
The caring@home for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families project was created to support the provision of palliative care at home for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including cancer patients. When care at home is preferred, it can be provided to help connect family, culture, community, country and the spiritual wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This project is conducted by a consortium involving Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, Palliative Care Australia, the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) and led by Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative and is funded by the Australian Government until 2023. https://www.caringathomeproject.com.au/tabid/6079/Default.aspx
SAHMRI & BRAGG CENTRE – CLOSING THE GAP IN CANCER
An informative series of research webinars has been released by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and the Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research. The topics all focus on improving the radiation experience for both patients and families and are available to access free via YouTube.
These interview sessions are hosted by Julie McCrossin, and cover the topics of Proton Therapy, Children, Adolescents & Young Adults and Closing The Gap First Nations across various regions of Australia. Julie interviewed local and international experts, including recent ASMIRT-NZIMRT Conference presenters Nigel Anderson and Daniel Sapkaroski.
On demand webinars: How can we improve the radiation experience for patients and families?
TARGETING CANCER
Targeting Cancer will proudly support the #WorldCancerDay 2022 with a short video series in which their Campaign Ambassador Julie McCrossin interviews radiation oncologists and cancer patients from home and abroad. Videos available on their Twitter page – https://twitter.com/TargetingCancer
GET SOCIAL
Remember to jump on social media and share your World Cancer Day messages and stories – use the hashtags:
#WorldCancerDay2022
#CloseTheCareGap
#radonc
