ACT CONTENTS The Cancer Council ACT 2 Key Achievements 3 President’s Report 4 Treasurer’s Report 6 Executive Officer’s Report 7 Programs and Services Cancer Information and Support Program 10 Cancer Information Service 10 Cancer Support Service 12 Cancer Education Program 16 Adult Smoking Cessation Service 16 The Community Cancer Prevention Service 18 Youth Anti-Tobacco Education Service 20 Fundraising and Promotion Program 23 Research 30 The Cancer Council ACT Shop 34 Staff 35 Volunteers 36 Financial Report 37 About This Annual Report This annual report provides details of The Cancer Council ACT Inc activities, initiatives and achievements for the financial year ended 30 June 2001. Approximately 500 copies of this comprehensive review are printed and provided to key stakeholders within Australia and overseas, including other state and territory cancer organisations, government, council members, and other interested parties. The report is the major publication produced by the Council each year. It is used to provide readers with information about the Council’s performance during the year and indicate direction for the coming year. The Cancer Council ACT aims to make this report an accurate, informative and easy to read document. Your feedback and suggestions for improvement are welcome. If you have any comments, please contact The Cancer Council ACT. 1 7KH&DQFHU&RXQFLO$&7 Working in the Australian Capital Territory to reduce the incidence and impact of Cancer < The Australian Capital Territory Memberships Vision The Cancer Council ACT, together with To promote a healthier community by other member organisations in each reduction of the incidence and impact state and territory, is a member of The of cancer in the Canberra area Cancer Council Australia. through information, education, Through this membership The Cancer support and research. Council ACT is a member of the Asian and Pacific Federation of Objectives Organisations for Cancer Research and Control; the International Non- • To advocate and implement Governmental Coalition Against Cancer; and the International Union health education and promotion For Health Promotion and Education. strategies and programs in cancer prevention and its early detection The Cancer Council ACT is also a member of the International Union • To improve quality of life of Against Cancer (UICC). The UICC is individuals with cancer and their an international non-governmental families and carers association of more than 290 organisations in 90 countries. Its • To promote and support research objectives are to advance scientific into any aspect of cancer or related and medical knowledge in research, issues diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer, and to promote all other aspects of the campaign against • To provide best practice cancer throughout the world. management and appropriate infrastructure to support the above objectives 2 .H\$FKLHYHPHQWV 5HGXFLQJ WKH ,QFLGHQFH RI 5HGXFLQJ WKH ,PSDFW RI &DQFHU &DQFHU We now know that between one third to one Each year over 1000 people in the ACT will half of cancer cases can be prevented through be diagnosed wtih cancer, and for most lifestyle change and early detection strategies. people this diagnosis will create confusion and Reducing the incidence of cancer is one of our uncertainty for themselves and their families. greatest challenges. This is how we met the Our vision is to reduce the impact of cancer challenge in 2000/2001: through providing information and support. In 2000/2001 The Cancer Council: • The Cancer Council ACT reached more than 1700 adults who were trying to • Provided practical and emotional support quit smoking this year through a through over 1000 client contacts, combination of courses conducted in a representing a 6.9% increase from diversity of workplaces as well as through 1999/2000. provision of individual education and support. • Updated the library service to provide the latest evidence based information, and 45 participants who were in Quit courses empowered clients to access contacted 6 months after they finished the appropriate information through course, 17 (30%) remained quitters. assisted Internet access. • A “Quit Challenge” launched this year • Assisted more than 400 patients by resulted in 45% of participants reducing the impact of treatment on their remaining “quit” after 12 weeks appearance through our Wig Service; a compared to a national average quit rate 33% increase from the previous year. of 30% per intervention. • Linked 29 cancer patients to survivors • This year audiences of up to 10,000 through our volunteer program. people were reached with key cancer prevention messages: sun protection, not smoking, making healthy food choices and being physically active. • The “Smarter than Smoking” service began its pilot of an innovative community development approach to reducing smoking uptake in ACT youth. 6XSSRUWLQJ RXU REMHFWLYHV WKURXJK IXQGUDLVLQJ DQG EHVW SUDFWLFH PDQDJHPHQW • $566,000 was raised through bequests, provide key education, information and donations and events. More than support programs. $420,000 of this total was raised through a variety of fundraising events • Implementation of a new strategic plan, including Daffodil Day and Relay for Life. and a number of key policies and Fundraising efforts were supported by procedures, provided a foundation and more than 250 volunteers. Funds raised focus to support the efforts of The Cancer enabled The Cancer Council ACT to Council ACT in delivery of all programs. 3 3UHVLGHQW·V5HSRUW The Cancer Council ACT remains • excellence in human resourcing; committed to its twin goals of reducing the and incidence and impact of cancer in the ACT • appropriate development of financial community. The services and advocacy and material resources. we provide remain much needed in the community at large as well as among the A number of areas emerged where further individuals and families affected by cancer strategy development is underway each year. Cancer is a leading cause of including: strengthening our membership premature death in Australia, responsible base; clarifying the direction and for almost 34,000 deaths (28% of male improving the quality of our information deaths and 24% of female deaths each education and support services; building year). In the ACT, the most recent annual stronger effective partnerships and data available (1997) shows that there alliances with organisations and groups were 414 deaths. that share our goals; and, strengthening our policy advocacy work to improve The past year has been a time of cancer services in the ACT. reflection, repositioning and planning for the long-term effectiveness and viability of Obvious to those who have been The Cancer Council ACT. We reviewed associated with the organisation, will be our recent achievements and developed a the change of name from the ACT Cancer new two-year strategic plan that sets out Society to The Cancer Council ACT. This the broad priorities and strategies in three change, together with a strategy for key result areas: national branding of the members of The Cancer Council Australia, allows us to 1. A reduction in the incidence of all demonstrate our association with the cancers in the ACT but especially the national organisation that is established following: as Australia’s primary non-government • cancers resulting from smoking cancer control body. A special general • skin cancer meeting of members in May 2001 • colorectal cancer determined that the name change allows • prostate cancer us to benefit from the achievements, • cancer of the cervix credibility, and profile of the national body • breast cancer in females and other state member bodies. • other cancers which we have the knowledge to prevent or where we It is 25 years since the ACT Cancer can minimise effects. Society was incorporated. We will celebrate this milestone and our solid 2. Reduction of the impact of cancer in the achievements and reputation with the first lives of individuals with cancer and their ever history of the organisation. The families and carers. history titled, “Facing the Future: a history of the ACT Cancer Society 1976-2001” 3. Maintenance and development of The will be launched in September 2001. The Cancer Council ACT as a well known, author is well known Canberra chronicler respected, well managed organisation in Alan Foskett. The Board records its the cancer field through: thanks to the many contributors who • offered their recollections and some of the wise and prudent governance; • source material for the book. We are effective and efficient management; 4 3UHVLGHQW·V5HSRUW particularly grateful to those long-standing have developed clearer policies for members and supporters who gave governance and guiding policies for the considerable time to making the Board’s strategic leadership of the publication a credible and professional organisation. Key policies include: publication. Board Roles and Ways of Working; Executive Officer Limitations; A major focus of the Board’s work has Performance Appraisal; Membership of been assessing the feasibility of building the Council; and, Volunteering. Other new premises for the Council. The policy work will continue in the coming existing rented premises at Kaleen are far year. from ideal in terms of accessibility, visibility and amenity. The Board is There have also been a number of negotiating the possibility of establishing changes on the Board during the year. lease of land from the ACT Government Long standing members Graham Bigg and has drawn