President's Report Nurse News
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IA13326 Breast and Prostate Cancer Association of Queensland Incorporated | Newsletter | Spring 2019 Dr Glenda Powell (Patron) President’s REPORT Kay McGrath (Vice-Patron) BPCAQ has had an exceptional Professional Peer Support project. Board Members 2018/2019 financial year and it We thank the Queensland Breast Dr Marie Burke is gratifying to see the successful Cancer Health Professionals (President) implementation of the Goondiwindi Nurse Association Incorporated for and the “Connecting the Unconnected” providing funding that will Sandy Cassidy project, and most recently hosting the allow us to assist those nurses (Vice President) Mackay seminar. in accessing networking Michael Crouch (Secretary) It was wonderful to mark the 25th opportunities, improve knowledge sharing and professional peer Jilanne Elliott (Treasurer) Anniversary of BPCAQ in November last year and for many of the past board support. Gina Fairfax members to reunite at the luncheon that Our AGM was held on Tuesday Luke Anderson was held at Hillstone St Lucia. 1st of October, I’m pleased to Adrian Seiffert The subcommittees are to be announce this year’s elected board members; myself, Dr Marie Tracey Plumridge congratulated for their tireless work in raising awareness and funds for each Burke (President), Mrs Sandy Dr MariePresident Burke of their own districts. Most districts Cassidy (Vice-President and Sub-Committees Fundraising Coordinator), Mr breast and prostate cancer sufferers have seen an increase in donations and and nurses who utilize and appreciate Barcaldine: Heather Morton recognition of their services provided to Michael Crouch (Secretary), Ms Jilanne Elliott (Treasurer), Board the services we provide. and Helen Barrett patients and nurses. A special mention to both the St George and Goondiwindi Members: Mrs Gina Fairfax, Luke We look forward to continuing Blackbutt: volunteers who were instrumental in Anderson, Adrian Seiffert and our work and supporting the Nick and Laraine Aniftos attracting the funds for the Goondiwindi Tracey Plumridge, Dr Glenda incredible volunteers within all of Powell (Patron) Kay McGrath the subcommittees, to assist them in Chinchilla: Joanna Embry nurse that were largely provided by the Weengallon Ladies Day committee, whom (Vice-Patron). Mr Tristan Tucker did delivery of services within their districts. Emerald: Tiffany Pulford we thank most sincerely for their many not re-nominate, and we thank Plus, we are hoping to encourage Fraser Coast: Penny Kilner years of support for the Goondiwindi and him for the six years he served as volunteers for the Mackay region so St George Nurses and patient grants. a board member. I wish to convey that we can expand our services there. Goondiwindi: Gloria Cory my sincere thanks and gratitude We are pleased to have commenced We sincerely thank all those Miles: Ann Gibbons to each of our board members for who have contributed, the establishment of “Connecting the their renomination and for their Mitchell: Jenny Hockey volunteered, donated and Unconnected” Nurse Networking and dedication to the benefit of the supported our cause! Rockhampton St George: Amelia Sevil NURSE NEWS & Emily Martin Toowoomba: Jayne Gentry Goondiwindi Nurse – Antonia (Toni) Jakins has supported a number of women Weengallon: Emma and men from Goondiwindi and surrounding Montgomery districts including Inglewood, Yelarbon, Stanthorpe and Boomi. Office Secretary Toni has been working hard to establish Tracey Plumridge a support service for breast and prostate Toni has been working PH: 07 3666 0614 cancer patients and has actively participated hard to establish a support E: [email protected] in professional development and is included service for breast and in the “Connecting the Unconnected prostate cancer patients www.bcaq.com Professional Peer Support Group” for breast care nurses in the Toowoomba hub. NURSE NEWS Toni attended our Mackay seminar in September Joann Oughton – Emerald Prostate considerations of choosing one treatment over and BPCAQ also sponsored her to attend Nurse received a grant to attend a Prostate another. It certainly highlighted the very real the ASBD (Australasian Society for Breast Cancer Conference in Melbourne on Saturday issue of treatment anxiety that many cancer Disease) 12th Scientific Conference on the 24th August to Monday 26th August 2019. patients suffer with post treatment. I had the Gold Coast that was held in October. This opportunity to speak with some very brilliant A very sincere thank you to the Breast and provided an opportunity for Toni to network urologists from England, the United States and Prostate Cancer Association of Queensland Inc. with international and local key-note speakers Belgium and their thoughts on PSA testing and in particular to the Emerald Subcommittee and learn more about neo adjuvant/adjuvant and choosing surgery or radiology. It was for enabling me to go to this celebrated and treatments for the different breast cancer types. enlightening to hear about the new ‘spacer’ prestigious event. The conference showcases the technology; a gel substance inserted between Toni is available 3 days per fortnight to provide very best in Prostate Cancer care and treatment. support and information about breast and the prostate and the bowel to minimise the As a rural and remote nurse working one day prostate cancer, no referral is required. Toni can effect of radiation damage to the bowel during a week, I was careful to choose sessions most be contacted via: radiation therapy. likely to be of benefit to my patients. Toni Jakins There were many highlights. Listening to the On day one I attended the sexual health Clinical Nurse-Breast & Prostate Care Cairns Prostate Cancer Nurses experiences were workshop and was able to use one of my own like my own and an enlightening talk from the Community Health, Goondiwindi Hospital, cases to discuss best practice; such as what I Transgender Community. I learnt to be mindful 4-18 Bowen St, Goondiwindi did, what I could have done and where to in that in a gender realignment from male to P: 07 4578 2440 M: 0400 198 937 the future. I now have a pathway to ensure all female that the prostate isn’t removed and is E: [email protected] aspects of care are covered and the workshop therefore a female issue too. has given me much more confidence in my The take home message for all health current practice. professionals was… we are no longer to advise The sponsored dinner permitted for lively debate our patients to go home and rest we must between surgeons and radiologists and the always tell them to go home and exercise. We are extremely grateful to the Weengallon Ladies Day Committee, Rotary Goondiwindi, Rod Gibson Ford and many other supporters from Goondiwindi and St George for proving funding that has enabled us to establish and maintain this position plus provide funding for further education and networking opportunities for Toni and also contributions towards the patient assistance grants for both of these districts. IN THE NEWS Connecting the Unconnected: Nurse Network Project As part of the project, we are In September nurses from Goondiwindi, endeavouring to assist cancer Toowoomba, Emerald and Mackay were invited care nurses in rural and remote to attend the Mackay Seminar where Dr Pammie Queensland to form professional Ellem further discussed her research and peer support groups or hubs. reiterated the benefits of maintaining regular and structured meetings with colleagues. Tracey travelled to Toowoomba in June and Emerald in August and Mackay in September to meet with nurses to introduce Dr Pammie Ellem’s project to them. The purpose is to discuss how they could share knowledge, provide professional support and discover other areas of interest and expertise with their peers plus linking those nurses in rural and remote Queensland with their peers in the treatment centres. Right: Meeting in Mackay, Meeting in Toowoomba Mackay Seminar – We held our annual Physiotherapists Georgia McCullagh, Nicole cancer plus a number of allied health displays community health forum in Mackay on Saturday Little, Libby Froyland, Prostate Cancer Nurse included the Look Good Feel Better program, 14th September. Speakers included; Mackay Joann Oughton, Social Worker Hermina BreastScreen Qld, ICON Radiation Therapy and Breast Care Nurses Liz Drefke and Sasha Ackerman, and Patient Perspective by Margaret Bowel Cancer Screening. We thank Mackay MacDonald, Surgeon Dr Adrian Westcott, Purcell. The speakers provided very informative Breast Care Nurses, Liz and Sasha for assisting in Medical Oncologist Dr Nimisha Kumari, Urologist talks about the current treatment options and the organisation of the day. Dr Sanjeev Bandi, Occupational Therapist & support services for both breast and prostate Above: Mackay Seminar Attendees SUBCOMMITTEE NEWS Blackbutt – Nick and Laraine Aniftos Barcaldine/Westn’ Breast & Prostate Cancer Support The Blackbutt Golf Day was held on the 31st August. We thank Bill Bool Group for Central West – Helen Barrett and Heather Morton and the Blackbutt Golf Club for hosting this event and we are grateful to In the seven months from March to October we have delivered all of the participants, sponsors and donors who contributed to raising over $18,000 in patient grants to our region with the generous help over $3,000. We thank the following sponsors and donors that helped and donations received from Megan and Warren Salter, A McCronin, B to contribute towards the success of this event; Blackbutt Fuel & Tyres, Blair, K Saunders and E King. We received a substantial donation from the Blackbutt Towing, Ken Mills Toyota, Blackbutt Hire, Yarraman Real Estate, Birdsville Community Social Club – 2019 Ringers Ride 4 a Cure. A group AG Requirements, Taromeo Country Music, S & K Gormley, Blackbutt of riders lead by Kevin ‘Spinny’ Monaghan, Jeffrey Dare, and Don Rayment Medical Centre, Blackbutt Hardware, North Coast Foods, All Coast Carts, joined together to ride horses from Bedourie to Birdsville from the 23rd Bendigo Bank, A1 Golf Shop, Googa Farms, P Barimer, J Beste, Little Butcher, to the 28th June, 2019.