Page 4973 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 26 October 2011
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Members may be aware that from last year the government has funded a public diagnostic breast imaging service. This service, the first of its kind in the territory, provides X-ray and ultrasound assessment for women presenting with symptoms or women requiring follow-up services after treatment. The new service complements the long-running BreastScreen program, which offers screening to women aged over 50 who do not have symptoms.
Canberrans have been enthusiastic participants in this year’s pink ribbon month. A number of special events have been held across the ACT, including across our public health system. It has been fantastic to see so many of the men and women who deliver public health services in this town throw their support behind such a worthy cause.
Staff at the Canberra Hospital have organised workplace activities and events, including a morning tea and a “Think Pink” fundraiser. Staff have been encouraged to wear pink to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the duration of the month. The Canberra Hospital has also been doing its bit, partnering with Bunnings and Dulux to paint the large planter box in the main foyer of the Canberra Hospital pink, along with several walls in treatment rooms in ward 14A. Posters and flyers have been strategically placed to communicate messages about breast cancer awareness to staff, patients and visitors to the hospital.
The Cancer Council of the ACT has also been very active throughout the month, particularly in recent days, when it has been selling Pink Ribbon Day merchandise at shopping centres across the city. The council also held a Pink Ribbon Day breakfast at Alto tower restaurant earlier this week. Alto sponsored the event, covering the costs of the entire breakfast, an exceptionally generous contribution to the month by a local business.
The Dragons Abreast dragon boating club held its local regatta on the lake last weekend. I understand that the Chief Minister launched that event, which this year was bigger than ever—a wonderful reminder that there is life, full and active life, for women after diagnosis. Bosom Buddies, another fantastic local support organisation, held an online auction of celebrity race-season hats, to mark the month.
More than 200 Canberra women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. This is a disease that well and truly touches all in our community. The outlook for women diagnosed today is, thankfully, better than at any time in the past, a fact borne out by the most recent records of the ACT Cancer Registry. But as a community we need to ensure that we keep moving in the right direction—that we arm women with the information they need; that our screening services pick up as many early-stage cancers as possible so as to maximise the prospects of recovery; and that we properly support those newly diagnosed, those going through treatment and those who have completed treatment and need to pick up their interrupted lives. For these reasons, it is great to see our community embrace pink ribbon month so wholeheartedly and with such spirit.
I would like to turn now to the amendment proposed by Ms Bresnan. The government will be supporting this amendment. The territory recognises the need for and
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