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Real
Hope
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
SOUTH 180-184 Collins St, Hobart TAS 7001
Contents
NORTH 5/216 Charles St, Launceston TAS 7250
NORTH-WEST 54 Cattley St, Burnie TAS 7320
Phone 03 6233 2030
Email [email protected]
Cancer Council Helpline 13 11 20
Events Hotline 1300 65 65 85
cancertas.org.au
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
3
FROM THE CEO
4
NEW AND INNOVATIVE PROJECTS
5
ManVan
House of Hope
Get Behind Bowel Cancer Screening
Campaign
SUPPORT SERVICES
9
transport 2 treatment
Cancer Connect
Helpline
Support Groups
Retail
Look Good…Feel Better
VOLUNTEERS
13
CANCER ACTION
17
Research
Health Promotion
cancer+
Mobile Services
INCOME DEVELOPMENT
21
Relay For Life
Daffodil Day
Girls Night In
Community Fundraising
Pink Ribbon Day
Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea
Real
Help
PARTNERSHIPS
Tasmanian Chronic Disease
Prevention Alliance
SmokeFree Tasmania
Regional Cancer Centres
25
From the
Chairman
Cancer Council Tasmania has a very clear mission: to minimise the impact of cancer on all
Tasmanians. It is a mission we are reminded of every day, and reflects all that we do.
Often, Cancer Council Tasmania is called on as the ‘voice’ of those affected by cancer in our island
state. In keeping with our mission, our voice must be one that speaks both to, and on behalf of, all
Tasmanians.
You will find voices of our volunteers, supporters and those we assist sprinkled throughout this
Annual Review and I hope it gives you a greater understanding of Cancer Council Tasmania
and those who associate with us. Over the past 12 months, our voice has been part of many
conversations, and represented by many individuals.
We continue to add to the debate with regard to cancer care, and were fortunate to join with the
voices of other organisations and Government departments to work on a Tasmanian submission
for Regional Cancer Centre funding.
Again, working in partnership, Cancer Council Tasmania through its role with the Tasmanian
Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance spoke out prior to the 2010 State Election, calling for
an innovative Health In All Policies approach to governance. The Tasmanian health budget is
currently focused on acute health care, with just 0.8% spent on health promotion activities. It is
unsustainable for the Tasmanian economy to continue to support acute health care at its current
rate of growth and now is the time to encourage Tasmanians to lead healthier lives - because the
reality is, that for every $1 spent on preventative health, $10 is saved on acute health care costs.
Cancer Council Tasmania was honoured to hear from some of the younger voices affected by
cancer through the Seize the Day Awards, which offer scholarships to those aged between 16 and
25 who are affected by cancer. These are young people who find themselves, a sibling or parent,
staring down a cancer diagnosis yet they manage to continue their education, with many inspired
into their career paths as a direct result of their contact with cancer.
We joined forces with Cancer Council Australia and encouraged the community to have their say
by lobbying the Government to expand the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program to include
all Australians over 50. Bowel cancer kills 80 Australians each week, yet an early diagnosis results
in a higher chance of survival. To date, more than 20,000 Australians have sent an email to their
MP to call for the expansion of the screening program.
The voices we really want to encourage are those of our researchers, as these are people who
hold the key to a cancer-free future. Cancer Council Tasmania allocated more than $350,000 to
researchers and health professionals across the State over the past 12 months.
I have touched on only a few of the voices and conversations from the past 12 months, and I hope
you will take the time to explore some others featured in this Review
Dr Roger Kimber
ANNUAL
REVIEW
2009-10
ANNUAL
REVIEW
2010
3
4
CANCER COUNCIL TASMANIA
From the
CEO
My voice is one that is new to the mix at Cancer Council Tasmania, and one I can assure you is
filled with passion for our mission of minimising the impact of cancer on all Tasmanians.
Joining the Cancer Council Tasmania team in April 2010 was somewhat of a homecoming,
as I had previously worked for Cancer Council NSW as a Regional Services Officer.
What a privilege to find myself leading such a committed team. The dedication of our staff and
volunteers is inspiring.
As CEO of Cancer Council Tasmania I would prefer a job such as mine did not exist, for if that were
the case it would mean a world free from cancer. Sadly, this is not yet a reality and so our work
remains as vital as ever.
Cancer Council
Tasmania has a
very clear mission:
to minimise the
impact of cancer
on all Tasmanians.
It is a mission we
are reminded of
every day, and
reflects all that
we do.
Facing a cancer diagnosis is often a highly emotional time for both the individual diagnosed, and
their family and friends. As an independent organisation it is often our role to provide the voice of
reason to various debates. Understandably, these debates can often be full of emotion and it is
important Cancer Council Tasmania focuses on what is best for patients and their carers. We must
rise above political and outside influences. We will continue our call for sustainable, best practice,
evidence-based treatment and services delivered as close as practical to patients.
2009 -10 saw the launch of our Men’s Health and Cancers project, a joint venture between Cancer
Council Tasmania and Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. This is a project that speaks
directly to men, encourages them to take their health seriously and act early on symptoms. Part
of the project is the ManVan, which tours the State delivering information and presentations and
asking men to step up and ‘Be a Man. Ask the Van.’.
MISS Hope, a mobile service which was first introduced to the Tasmanian community last year, has
continued touring the State, visiting a wide range of communities and events. Her ‘HOPE’ number
plates echo her voice. Those living in regional and rural Tasmania have appreciated visits from this
mobile information and support service.
As a not-for-profit organisation Cancer Council Tasmania is reliant on the support of the Tasmanian
community. Since joining the organisation I have been continually amazed by the dedication
of those living in our island state. There is a real sense of passion surrounding Cancer Council
Tasmania and it is thanks to this commitment that we are able to continue providing support,
information and services to those affected by cancer. It is on behalf of this community that we will
continue to educate in a bid to reduce the frightening statistics around cancer diagnoses and we
will continue to lobby for best practice and advocate for those living with cancer.
Darren Carr
New & Innovative
Projects
ManVan
Cancer Council Tasmania continues to strengthen mobile support services
throughout Tasmania with the introduction of the ManVan.
Men are encouraged to take charge of their health and be aware of the importance of early
detection. This has led to Cancer Council Tasmania forming a partnership with Prostate
Cancer Foundation of Australia to fund the Men’s Health and Cancers Project, of which the
ManVan is an integral part.
The concept is similar to Cancer Council Tasmania’s MISS Hope service, where support and
information can be taken to regional and rural centres – parts of the community that support
centres cannot always reach.
Visiting events such as the V8 Supercars, state and international cricket matches, football
games and car shows has enabled Cancer Council Tasmania staff and volunteers to take
the message of good health to men – rather than waiting for them to come to us. There is a
strong focus on preventative health measures as well as support and information.
The ManVan has been invited to deliver men’s health presentations to workforces across the
State – including an underground mine, where Cancer Council Tasmania’s project officer was
fitted with boots, overalls, hard hat, light and an emergency breathing kit and was lowered
375 metres underground. There are very few areas out of reach for the ManVan team.
The introduction of the ManVan is the first project of its kind in Australia. The impact that
mobile support services can have on regional communities in particular is huge.
The possibilities for this service are endless and that is good news for
all Tasmanian men and their families.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
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CANCER COUNCIL TASMANIA
House of Hope
Finding innovative ways to raise funds is often a challenge. Over the past year
Cancer Council Tasmania has supported the Rachel & Jye Fund in the House of
Hope project.
House of Hope is a project that raises money for the Rachel & Jye Fund and Variety
the Children’s Charity, by building and selling a house. Building a house comes at great
expense, and this project would not be possible without amazingly generous sponsors who
donate time, labour and materials to see the project come to fruition.
The Rachel & Jye Fund, which operates under Cancer Council Tasmania’s cancer+
program, was established by two families whose children sadly died from leukaemia. Funds
are raised to provide financial support for other families who have a child or adolescent
with cancer. Through this fund families can access payments to assist with additional costs
incurred following a diagnosis or relapse.
Over the past year additional funds have been made available for families who need to travel
interstate for treatment. Laptops have also been loaned to these families.
Since 2005 the Rachel & Jye Fund has assisted 89 families. In the later half of the last year
the fund was also able to help with additional expenses for 10 families whose children were
required to travel interstate for extended periods.
Proceeds from the House of Hope enable the work of the Rachel & Jye Fund to continue
with the fund receiving over $67,000 from the sale of the 2010 house. To raise such a
substantial amount during the global financial crisis and a building boom is testament to
the generosity of supporters of this project. There are plans for a third House of Hope in the
future.
NEW AND INNOVATIVE PROJECTS
t #PXFMDBODFSJTUIF
second most commonly
diagnosed cancer in
both men and women in
Tasmania
t 5BTNBOJBOTXFSF
diagnosed with bowel
cancer in 2007
Get Behind Bowel Cancer
Screening Campaign
t #PXFMDBODFSJTUIF
second most common
cause of cancer-related
deaths in Tasmania
Cancer Council Australia launched a national campaign in a bid to put public
pressure on the Australian Government to expand the National Bowel Cancer
Screening Program.
t 5BTNBOJBOTEJFE
following a bowel cancer
diagnosis in 2007
Statistics sourced from
Menzies Research Institute:
Cancer In Tasmania: Incidence
and Mortality 2007
The Get Behind Bowel Cancer Screening Campaign asks the public to send an online letter
to their local MP, calling for the expansion of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
which currently caters to those turning 50, 55 or 65 before December 2010.
Bowel cancer kills 80 Australians every week and affects both men and women. When found
early, nearly all cases can be cured and screening has been proven to help find bowel cancer
when treatment has the best chance of success.
It is 13 years since the Government’s own expert medical body recommended all Australians
aged 50 and over be screened for bowel cancer every two years and almost five years since
both sides of politics committed to phase in the screening program. Yet the program remains
available as a one-off test only, restricted to a small number of individuals. That means more
than five million at-risk Australians are currently missing out on this life-saving program.
Fully implemented, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is the most effective
measure available to the next Australian government for immediately reducing cancer deaths
in Australia. It has potential to save more than 30 lives per week.
Visit www.getbehindbowelscreening.com.au for more information.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
7
VOICES
“I moved to the North-West coast of
Tasmania from the Gold Coast three years
ago, where I had also been a volunteer
driver for a charity. I wanted to continue
volunteering so I called Cancer Council to
see how I could help. Volunteering gives you
a feeling of satisfaction and the patients are
extremely grateful – the number of people
who single us out to say ‘thank you’ for the
service we provide is amazing, and makes it
more worthwhile.
Real
Help
These people need help and we are there
to give it. It’s a long way to travel from the
North-West each day for treatment, then
think of that trip over a week, a month, and
you can see how important this service is.
The patients provide support to each other as
well and we are lucky to be able to assist.
I have time to help in whatever way I can, and
am happy to give that time to Cancer Council
Tasmania.”
JOHN CROUCH
Support
Services
transport 2 treatment
t2t Facts
Patient trips:
4705
One of the biggest concerns for many Tasmanians diagnosed
with cancer is how to access treatment. This is not just an
issue for people from regional areas of the state, but also for
those with children and busy lives.
Individual patients:
How to get to treatment should be one of the last things people have
on their mind at this time, but sadly it is often a huge concern.
Volunteer drivers
statewide:
To help address this problem, Cancer Council Tasmania introduced transport 2 treatment
(t2t) in 2007, at no cost to the patient. This service has grown in popularity and has been
warmly welcomed by the Tasmanian public. The service is 100% reliant on a wonderful pool
of volunteer drivers.
Total Kilometres
travelled:
t2t currently operates out of Smithton, Burnie, Devonport, Launceston, Hobart and
surrounds with the potential for expansion into other areas of the state. This service has
been one of the truly great success stories for Cancer Council Tasmania.
568
80
286,029 km
What started as a service to ensure patients could reach treatment has grown into an
informal support group with many patients travelling together for weeks at a time. This has
been a welcome addition to an already invaluable service to the Tasmanian community.
Cancer Connect
Being able to make a connection with someone who has had
a similar cancer diagnosis to you can be a turning point – the
realisation that there is someone who can understand from
personal experience all of the trials and tribulations.
It is quite understandable that when a cancer diagnosis is made,
people can feel removed from those around them, unsure of what
the future holds. Cancer Connect is a service that links survivors with people with cancer to
offer support and help them navigate their way through the cancer process.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
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CANCER COUNCIL TASMANIA
Helpline
Total
Helpline
Calls: 941
General Public:
396
Diagnosed Cancer
Patients:
252
Immediate Family: 150
Health Professionals: 91
Friends & Other
Relatives:
Other:
44
8
Prostate Call In
September 2009:
103
Bowel Cancer
Call In June 2010:
58
Being diagnosed with cancer may leave people feeling isolated
and alone. Finding someone to talk to who can relate to this
experience and provide support is not always easy – but
through Cancer Council Tasmania’s dedicated Helpline,
support is only a phone call away.
Cancer Council Tasmania has operated the Cancer Council Helpline
since 2002. We have provided support to countless Tasmanians who
have been diagnosed with cancer so they do not have to experience their journey alone.
Often family members, carers and friends of people who have cancer can feel equally
stricken – not knowing how to help, what to say or feel. The Cancer Council Helpline is
available to assist carers and provide guidance on how to manage their own feelings and
provide support for their loved one.
Finding the time to speak to a medical professional about concerns surrounding cancer can
be a daunting prospect. Is this normal? Should I be concerned? I have noticed a change,
what should I do? These are all thoughts that may have crossed our minds. Cancer Council
Tasmania coordinates two dedicated Call In evenings for Bowel and Prostate Cancer each
year. Our phones are answered by doctors, relevant specialists and nurses who are able to
answer questions and recommend steps forward to address concerns – and the caller can
remain anonymous.
Cancer Council Helpline 13 11 20
Support
Groups
South:
North:
North-West:
Total participants:
Support Groups
12
4
6
1423
Cancer Council Tasmania has a number of support groups and
support group networks right across Tasmania, available to
anyone who would like to attend.
Support groups have increased in popularity in recent years, and
although not everyone wants to share their story, they provide
invaluable connections to other people who are experiencing
or supporting a loved one affected by cancer. Cancer Council
Tasmania support groups include cancer specific groups including prostate, breast and
bowel cancers as well as general groups for those living with cancer and their carers.
SUPPORT SERVICES
Retail
Total Income:
$284,597
Total Items Sold:
10,596
Sunglasses Sold:
2,240
Sunscreen Units Sold:
2,052 tubes/
bottles
Retail
Merchandise sold at Cancer Council Tasmania supports the
organisation’s key messages to the Tasmanian community,
through sales of hats, sunglasses, sun suits, sunscreen and
SPF makeup lines.
Aside from Cancer Council Tasmania’s four stores across the State
run entirely by volunteers, Cancer Council Tasmania also takes
merchandise on the road. This includes a presence at showcase
events such as Taste of Tasmania which attracts over 300,000 people over the 7-days it
runs during summer. Other events attended by Cancer Council Tasmania include Agfest,
MS Fest and MONA FOMA.
Cancer Council Tasmania’s stand has become a fixture at Taste of Tasmania, and given the
event’s notoriety and popularity with both locals and visitors provides a fantastic opportunity
to promote the SunSmart message and sell SunSmart merchandise. Cancer Council
Tasmania also provides free sunscreen at the event which has proven popular.
Look Good...
Feel Better
Physical appearance and how to look your very best may not
be the first things at the forefront of a person’s mind as they
go through their cancer experience.
While treatment and focusing on recovery are the key focus, it is
surprising how men and women can lift in spirit after attending a
Look Good...Feel Better session.
These sessions are a national initiative, supported by Cancer Council and sponsored by the
cosmetic industry. Look Good...Feel Better is about more than having make up professionally
applied, tips on colours and discussing headwear.
Some cancer treatments can have an impact on the skin, and the trained professionals
who operate these workshops are able to give advice on hair care, scarves and boosting
confidence to make the cancer journey a little more comfortable.
Feeling confident in appearance can add a sense of control and happiness to us all – and
this is what makes Look Good...Feel Better such a special program.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
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VOICES
Real
Help
“I started volunteering one day a
week in the Support and Information
Centre in 2001. My background was
in community care, and I wanted to
work in an area in which I had skills,
and to offer support to others. It’s
a very rewarding role – I undertake
regular training and education.
It is about listening really, and
this is a skill I’ve taken into other
aspects of my life. I co-facilitate a
support group for carers, and it’s
so wonderful to be helpful in this
way. So often the patient receives
all the support and it’s important to
acknowledge and care for the carers
as well. I’ve made many friends
within the organisation and enjoy
being part of the Cancer Council
team.”
PIP WOOLLEY
Volunteers
Volunteers:
South:
North:
North-West:
323
103
117
Volunteer
commitment:
0-2 years:
2+ years:
5+ years:
10+ years:
42
293
197
11
Cancer Council Tasmania’s work would not be possible without the support, work and
commitment of our volunteers. Volunteers go over and above what is required and often it’s
much more than giving time. Our volunteers are passionate and as a result help improve the
lives of others.
Volunteers are the linchpins of organisations such as Cancer Council Tasmania – they put
in long hours in order to make a contribution to the community and help achieve Cancer
Council Tasmania’s mission of ‘minimising the impact of cancer on all Tasmanians’.
Whether it is helping to set up events, helping with support, fundraising, selling merchandise,
educating the public, sending out letters, counseling others or driving people to treatment,
the difference our volunteers make is invaluable. Without them we would be nothing.
Many Cancer Council Tasmania volunteers have been touched by cancer themselves –
whether they are survivors, have cared for loved ones or supported friends. Others are
inspired by the plight of people who battle this disease and want to make a contribution and
a real difference.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
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CANCER COUNCIL TASMANIA
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
15
VOICES
“When I first heard about Seize the Day, I didn’t think
to apply until a friend encouraged me to and made me
feel as though I was worth it. I am studying education
at the University of Tasmania and graduate at the end
of 2010 and will teach early childhood.
Winning a Seize the Day Award was great recognition
for me and made me give myself credit for what I had
achieved and am working towards. When I received
the award I was shocked – I didn’t think anything I was
doing was out of the ordinary.
Real
Help
I found out that I had cancer on the last day of
semester two in 2008. I was diagnosed with Chronic
Myeloid Leukemia – the youngest case for a female
in Tasmania. This was a huge shock. It took time to
accept the news and to find my new ‘normal’ in life.
I am still undergoing chemotherapy, which is
challenging with my studies and I find it hard to retain
information in lectures thanks to my ‘chemo-brain’, but
study has provided me with something to focus on.”
MICHELLE BOSWORTH
Cancer
Action
Research
Funds raised through dedicated Cancer Council Tasmania
activities, donations and bequests are an integral part of
the cancer research program and oncology professional
development in Tasmania.
Each year health professionals and researchers are publicly
recognised for their success in several research grants and
scholarship programs that are supported and facilitated through
Cancer Council Tasmania. Over $320,000 was allocated in 2009 -10 and included a
Research Fellowship, an Honours degree, data management in clinical trials, scholarships
for emerging researchers and health professionals and support for young people affected by
cancer wishing to extend their education into post year 12 studies.
Funds are allocated to research that is undertaken at a Tasmanian research institution and
aims to improve cancer outcomes. This year the research projects included investigating the
characterisation of ITGA2 gene as a potential biomarker in prostate cancer and the role of
Vitamin D3 and metallothionein in protection against melanoma. Cancer Council Tasmania’s
Research Fellow is investigating the genetics of familial haemotological cancers in Tasmania.
Attendance at national conferences, scientific and oncology meetings and further education
by health professionals and nurses has been supported from scholarships established from
some bequests.
Cancer Council Tasmania grants awarded in 2009-10:
Jo Dickenson Menzies Research Institute
$48,125
Greg Woods Menzies Research Institute
$86,250
Jo Dickenson Fellowship Menzies Research Institute
$115,000
Data Managers (for clinical trials)
- Launceston General Hospital & Royal Hobart Hospital
$54,000
Honours Project UTAS
$10,000
Athena Foniadakis Scholarship
$5,000
Jeanne Foster Scholarship
$5,000
Cancer PLUS
$3,000
Cancer Council Tasmania is committed to maintaining and growing its presence in
cancer research.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
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CANCER COUNCIL TASMANIA
Health Promotion
Health promotion and cancer prevention activities
continued to develop and grow within Cancer Council
Tasmania during 2009-10.
Health promotion and support officers facilitated, developed and
implemented programs in cancer control, health promotion and
cancer prevention.
Skin cancer prevention and UV awareness as well as the need for
adequate Vitamin D remained an important focus for the SunSmart program.
The SunSmart program, which raises awareness and educates about the 5 ways to be
protected from the harmful rays of the sun while enjoying the outdoors, and also how to
ensure the body gets its Vitamin D needs, has targeted outdoor workers, the aged and
children. In particular the support from early childhood centres in becoming fully accredited
in SunSmart is reassuring and very positive.
cancer+
cancer+ is a unique program established by Cancer Council Tasmania to support
families with a child or adolescent with cancer, survivors of childhood cancer and
the professionals who care for them.
When a young person is diagnosed with cancer it can be a difficult time for them, their family,
friends and the wider community. cancer+ assists with information, support and referral to
other relevant services from the time of diagnosis, during and after treatment, and for those
who are bereaved.
This year our Seize the Day Awards encouraged 14 young people affected by cancer to
pursue their future goals through these post secondary education/training scholarships,
thanks to sponsorship from IGA and Cripps Nubake. cancer+ scholarships are also
available to health and education professionals working with young people with cancer. In
2010 two health professionals from Launceston General Hospital were assisted to visit
Peter Macallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne to learn more about the OnTrac@PeterMac
adolescent and young adult program. As a result there are now plans for education sessions
to be held in Tasmania about issues relating to adolescents and young adults with cancer.
From 2009 cancer+, in conjunction with a number of other services working with families,
began providing activities for bereaved parents. This collaboration provides an opportunity
for families, who have experienced the death of a child at any age through accident, illness or
suicide, to come together in a supportive environment for picnics and other informal events.
CANCER ACTION
Mobile Services
Cancer Council Tasmania continues to strengthen its mobile information and
support services.
MISS Hope and the newly acquired men’s health and cancers awareness ManVan are
Cancer Council Tasmania’s mobile information and services vehicles. A defining feature
of Cancer Council Tasmania’s health promotion and cancer prevention message is to be
able to extend education and awareness into rural and regional areas. These vehicles
have become integral to ensuring information, support and education is available and
accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of location or proximity to one of
Cancer Council Tasmania’s offices.
This trend towards taking services to the community rather than expecting people to
come to Cancer Council Tasmania is proving popular, and one that we will continue to
expand in coming years.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
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VOICES
Real
Help
“We lost some friends and family to cancer, and when we
wanted to start charity work, we decided on Cancer Council
Tasmania. Over eight years we have raised $107,000. We
started with an Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea and our
fundraising has gone from strength to strength, it is our full
time job and our oven is never off. We run a raffle at the
Italian Club dance – all the prizes are donated. We bake cakes,
biscuits, pizza and gather produce to sell.
We host morning teas at workplaces. We work very hard. We
don’t take anything out of our profit – we donate our time
and ingredients. We are lucky to have support from so many
people, and everyone is always generous and gives what they
can and it all adds up. We are dedicated and if we can still do
it, we will. If we can do it, anyone can.’’
ROMILDA AND MARIO AMOROSA
Income
Development
Relay For
Life:
6,723 participants
289 teams
5 venues: Hobart,
Launceston, Penguin,
Circular Head, Scottsdale
$942,753 raised
Relay For Life
Tasmania celebrated 10 years of Relay For Life in 2010.
More than 6600 Tasmanians participated in five events held across the State, raising more
than $942,000.
Hobart, Launceston and Penguin celebrated 10 years of Relay For life, while the Scottsdale
community hosted its very first Relay For Life and Circular Head hosted its second.
Relay For Life is coordinated by volunteer-run committees, and supported by local
communities that fundraise in the lead up to the event and then participate over the
weekend of Relay For Life.
While the atmosphere at each event was one of celebration, there was also a more sombre
side.
A big part of Relay For Life are the more poignant ceremonies including the Survivors Walk
and Candlelight Ceremony, both are an emotional time for those involved.
The 2010 Relay For Life slogan asked participants ‘Who Will You Relay For?’. With 1 in
2 men and 1 in 3 women diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85, few Tasmanians are
unaffected by cancer.
Funds raised by Relay For Life enable Cancer Council Tasmania to continue
minimising the impact of cancer on all Tasmanians.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
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CANCER COUNCIL TASMANIA
Daffodil Day
Daffodil Day asks the question: ‘who will you buy a daffodil for on Daffodil Day?’
The daffodil is the international symbol of hope, and on the last Friday of each August,
Cancer Council Tasmania asks people across the State to help bring hope to those living
with cancer by buying Daffodil Day merchandise.
Daffodil Day reminds us of two things. Firstly, that far too many people will be diagnosed with
cancer. Secondly, that there is hope.
By supporting Daffodil Day, Tasmanians ensure Cancer Council Tasmania can continue to
fund research, prevention programs and offer support to those living with cancer.
Girls Night In
Girls Night In raises both funds for, and awareness of, women’s cancers.
Girls and women are asked to host a ‘Girls Night In’ with guests encouraged to donate
what they would normally spend on a night out. Money raised is used to fund research and
support women living with breast and gynaecological cancers. In 2009, 242 Girls Night In
hosts registered an event raising more than $66,000 in Tasmania.
Community Fundraising Community
The support for Cancer Council Tasmania through community fundraisers continues
to grow. With 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women to be diagnosed with cancer by the age of
85, many people wish to raise money to show support for loved ones diagnosed.
2009 -10 saw a range of fundraisers, including the quirky, the colourful and many ‘outside the
square’ ideas.
There was the couple who shaved their heads at their wedding reception and asked guests
to donate to Cancer Council Tasmania in lieu of wedding gifts. A breast cancer survivor
hosted a ‘Kiss Cancer Goodbye’ party to celebrate her remission. A Rotary Club coordinated
a rubber duck river race and a motorbike club coordinated a ‘Pink Ride’. Workplaces have
undertaken weight loss challenges, head shaves and collections.
Community fundraisers have taken many forms, and each and every one enables Cancer
Council Tasmania to continue minimising the impact of cancer on all Tasmanians.
Fundraising:
Northern events:
27
North-West events:
68
Southern events:
58
Total Income:
$100,296
INCOME DEVELOPMENT
Daffodil Day 2009:
$159,743.59
Pink Ribbon Day 2009:
Pink Ribbon Day
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Tasmanian women, and
each October, Pink Ribbon Day asks the community to support the 1 in 8 Australian
women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.
As part of Pink Ribbon Day celebrations, Cancer Council Tasmania hosts two Pink Ribbon
Day Breakfasts. Volunteers also run stalls across the State, selling Pink Ribbon Day
merchandise to the public. Early diagnosis and advanced treatment means that 84% of
women will survive their breast cancer diagnosis. Pink Ribbon Day raises valuable funds that
enable more to be done to improve treatment, support and research to ensure even more
women survive breast cancer.
Australia’s Biggest
Morning Tea
$121,595.45
Girls Night In 2009:
$66,415.61
Australia’s Biggest
Morning Tea 2010:
$335,874.91
Think Pink Ball 2009:
$64,046
Blue Tie Dinner 2009:
$37,490
Gala Ball 2010:
$164,571.20
Every cuppa counts in the fight against cancer and when
it comes to Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, Tasmanians
are quick to pull out the teapot with 876 registered hosts
in 2010.
The concept of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea is simple – host a morning tea for your
friends and family and raise funds to help the fight against cancer. Money raised by
Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea enables Cancer Council Tasmania to offer support to those
diagnosed with cancer, run the Cancer Council Helpline and train volunteers to provide oneon-one support through the Cancer Connect program. The funds raised also enable Cancer
Council Tasmania to provide educational SunSmart presentations and fund research into the
causes of cancer and new and improved treatments.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
23
Tasmania is lagging behind the rest of the nation when it comes
to health outcomes.
Many health-related not-for-profit organisations share and
promote similar views when it comes to good health, and it is for
this reason that Cancer Council Tasmania has joined forces with
them to help change the state of Tasmania’s health.
The Tasmanian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance is made up
of six not-for-profit organisations: Arthritis Tasmania, Diabetes
Tasmania, Heart Foundation, Asthma Foundation of Tasmania,
Kidney Health Australia and Cancer Council Tasmania.
The Tasmanian health budget is currently focused on the acute
health sector and treating those who are unwell, rather than
preventing illness in the first place.
The group believes a Health in all Policies approach needs to be
adopted in Tasmania and undertook a lobbying campaign calling
for exactly this prior to the 2010 election.
Real
Help
The Tasmanian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance believes
it is unsustainable for the Tasmanian economy to continue to
support acute health care at its current rate of growth and that a
strategic long-term investment in addressing the causes of poor
health must be undertaken.
The Tasmanian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance will continue
to lobby for Health in all Policies approach.
Partnerships
SmokeFree Tasmania
SmokeFree Tasmania is a coalition of organisations that are committed to
eliminating the harm caused by tobacco.
The independent advocacy group, informed by evidence-based research lobbies
directly to government and also via the media for changes in legislation, promotes the
denormalisation of smoking, supports new and emerging research in tobacco and
smoking and exposes tobacco industry misconduct.
Tasmania continues to have a very high prevalence of adult smoking (24.9%) compared
to Australia’s adult smoking prevalence (20.8%). Unlike other states, Tasmania has not
experienced an appreciable decline in smoking in recent years. In Tasmania, it is vital to
encourage more people to quit smoking and to discourage those who may wish to start
smoking.
SmokeFree Tasmania calls for all Tasmanians to reaffirm their commitment to reduce the
prevalence of smoking in Tasmania to 10% by 2020.
SmokeFree Tasmania is a coalition of Epilepsy Action, QUIT, Seventh Day Adventist
Church, Australian Lung Foundation, Thoracic Society, Pharmaceutical Society, Asthma
Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis, Public Health Association, Diabetes Tasmania, Kidney
Foundation, Cancer Council Tasmania, Heart Foundation, Menzies Research Institute and
Australian Medical Association.
Regional Cancer Centre
Funding Partnership
The Regional Cancer Centre funding was announced in the 2009 Federal Budget, in a
bid to provide critical infrastructure to rural and regional communities.
In August 2009, Cancer Council Tasmania started working with the Department of Health and
Human Services and other stakeholders to examine the possibility of making a consortium
bid for funding for Tasmania. The successful Tasmanian bid was announced in May 2010 with
funding of $18.7M. The State Government will contribute an additional $24M, and $3.95M will
come from other contributions.
The Regional Cancer Centre in Launceston will be built on Cancer Council Tasmania land. The
land is very close to Launceston General Hospital, and the centre will provide office, meeting
and support space as well as a transport hub for cancer patients.
ANNUAL REVIEW 2009-10
25
26
CANCER COUNCIL TASMANIA
This Annual Review is produced by
Cancer Council Tasmania to provide a
brief record of the activities undertaken
by the organisation during the 2009-10
financial year.
This review is produced by the
Communications and Marketing
program.
If you have feedback or suggestions,
please contact the Manager
Communications and Marketing
on 03 6233 2030.
Photography credits: Thank you to
Sue Wendell Smith and Katie McDougall
who donated their time and expertise to
produce many of the photos featured in
this review.
Helpline 13 11 20
cancertas.org.au