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1300 781 500
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[email protected]

Resource Centre
Level 8, 255 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Open 10am – 5pm Mon, Wed, Thurs
(closed public holidays)

What’s new – March 2024

What’s new in March, with links to support, information and other items of interest.

March is Lymphoedema Awareness Month 

Lymphoedema awareness month. Stylised illustration of a group of women walking together. One wears a compression sleeve on her arm,

If the lymphatic system isn’t working properly, lymphoedema can occur at any time. For people diagnosed with cancer this can happen during initial treatment, after treatment is completed or when in remission. Usually it develops slowly, over many months or even years. Visit Lymphoedema: what you need to know for more information.

New cancer story published 

Robyn's story, photo of a woman sitting at her desk looking at her computer.

Everyone’s experience of cancer is different, but the support, comfort and connection we gain from sharing stories and experiences is powerful.

Robyn, in her tenth and final year of cancer treatment shares her experience with us. Read Robyn’s story.

Help develop a resource for gynaecological cancer nurses

Gynaecological cancer study: Optimising specialised nursing care. Illustration of a nurse in scrubs,

This project aims to create a helpful guide for specialised nurses caring for women with gynaecological cancers. Nurses and people who have experience of a gynaecological cancer diagnosis are invited to join an online focus group to provide their input.

Read more on this information sheet (includes a link to the online form).

18–24 March is Advance Care Planning Week

Two people sit with their arms linked. Banner overlay says 'share what matters most'.

Advance care planning helps to ensure that your loved ones and your doctors know your preferences for future health care. Find out why it’s important to organize a plan when you are healthy and how you can get the process started via the Advance Care Planning Australia website or watch our recorded webinar.

Have your say on the draft National Optimal Care Pathways (OCP) Framework 

White text on black: Have your say White text on purple: Draft national optimal care pathways framework, Australian Government seal in black on a white strip across the bottom.

This framework will assist health professionals and health services to deliver optimal care that is consistent, safe, high-quality, evidence-based and also culturally appropriate.

Visit the Cancer Australia Engagement Hub for full details.
Consultation will close on 8 April 2024.

What’s new – February 2024

What’s new in February, with links to support, information and other items of interest.

February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 

February Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month text and simple graphics in white and teal.

Every February, Counterpart joins others in acknowledging Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. We support the important work others are doing to educate women about ovarian cancer.  We also use this time to talk about the support and information available to women living with ovarian cancer. Visit our Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month post for details.

New funding to improve metastatic cancer data collection

A collage of dozens black and white photos of women with the words 'I count too' overlaid.

Following advocacy from Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA), a new cancer data alliance will be established to improve routine collection of cancer stage and recurrence data.

This advocacy was initiated by BCNA after hearing their consumer representatives with metastatic breast cancer feel invisible due to inconsistent data collection across Australia.

Better data systems means researchers and policy makers will be able to understand how many individuals are living with metastatic breast cancer in Australia for the first time. This will support better care for individuals with this diagnosis, and will provide a way forward for other metastatic cancers.

Read the media release on the BCNA website.

Cancer Council Victoria LGBTQI+ resources updated

Closely cropped photo of two women stand side by side holding rainbow flags and smiling at each other. Text overlay says LGBTI+ people and cancer.

Discrimination and past negative experiences are common reasons why a cancer diagnosis may be challenging for LGBTQI+ people – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other diverse sexualities and genders, as well as people with intersex variations.

The Cancer Council Victoria LGBTQI+ webpage provides information on a range of topics, including talking to healthcare providers, cancer in trans and/or gender diverse people, and cancer in intersex people. You can also download or order a free 84-page LGBTQI+ People and Cancer booklet.

Visit LGBTQI+ people and cancer on the Cancer Council Victoria website.

Free VCCC Alliance webinar: Common sense oncology – outcomes that matter

VCCC Alliance logo Overcoming cancer together

Common sense oncology aims to prioritise patients’ needs, advocates for treatments that improve survival and quality-of-life, promotes informed decision making, and ensures these treatments are accessible to all patients. This webinar discusses the need to recalibrate cancer care and research.

View all details and register on the VCCC Alliance website.  

Consumers invited to have their say on genomic testing

VCCC Alliance logo Overcoming cancer together

The VCCC Alliance is gathering responses via a survey about accessing tumour genetic profiling from people who have received cancer treatment in Victoria. Genomics studies DNA errors causing cancer and its response to treatments. Tumor tests involve biopsies to analyse DNA, guiding treatment plans. This differs from genetic tests assessing inherited cancer risks. Genomic testing personalizes cancer care by targeting individual tumor characteristics.

Take the screening survey to see if you are eligible to take part in this study.

Selsus health professional webinars 

Selsus logo with webinar listings that include headshots of presenters and illegible information.

Cancer care 101, 12.30pm-2.30pm, Friday March 15 
Some of the key highlights: pathophysiology, common cancer treatments, trends, and evidence-based practices in cancer care from a health professional perspective and side effects. Visit Try booking for full details.

Managing cancer related fatigue, 3.00pm-5.00pm, Friday March 15.  Some of the key highlights: understanding cancer-related fatigue, evidence-based interventions, and patient centred care. Visit Try booking for full details.  

Webinar: Inclusive Health and Wellbeing Resources for *Women Over 50

In my prime: celebrating older women logo and Women's Health Victoria's logo. Both appear in black against an orange background.

Women’s Health Victoria is pleased to invite you to our upcoming webinar “Inclusive Health and Wellbeing Resources for *Women Over 50”, which will cover the importance of diversity and inclusion when developing resources that focus on women over 50.

Sharing our insights and reflections on the first six month of our initiative In My Prime, this insightful and interactive session will be held on Zoom and led by facilitator, writer, podcaster, researcher, and consultant Ruth De Souza.

The webinar will feature a panel of women sharing their professional and lived experiences from organisations including Transgender Victoria, Women with Disabilities Victoria, Monash University and Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health. 

Learn while you lunch and be a part of the conversation to support older women’s health.

Register to attend Inclusive Health and Wellbeing Resources for *Women Over 50

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is happening now

Every February, Counterpart joins others in acknowledging Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. We support the important work others are doing to educate women about ovarian cancer. We also use this time to talk about the support and information available to women living with ovarian cancer.

Women supporting other women with cancer

When you have been diagnosed with cancer, sometimes you need to talk to someone who has been there. Our Peer Support Volunteers have all women with a lived experience of cancer. They also have been trained to listen and provide emotional or practical support. Depending on what you are looking for, they can help you find information or share what they and other women have found helpful.

Request a call from one of our volunteers.

May, a Counterpart volunteer, talks about how the service could have helped her mother, who also had ovarian cancer.

Other ways we support women with ovarian cancer

On our Webinar recordings page, you can watch videos of talks given by experts. These cover a lot of topics, including:

You might find our ovarian cancer Navigator helpful if you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It can help you to find reliable, evidence-based information for each stage in the cancer experience (newly diagnosed, during treatment, after treatment, and if you have a recurrence). You can also get this information using our Counterpart Navigator app.

Know the symptoms

Ovarian cancer symptoms can be very vague. Many of the symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, especially in the early stages. This disease affects hundreds of women in Victoria each year. Still, many take a long time to get a diagnosis. That is why Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is all about letting women know the symptoms.

Infographic with the symptoms of ovarian cancer displayed around a picture of a woman. Text: Ovarian Cancer Symptoms: Fatigue/feeling lethargic; Abdominal or pelvic pain; Urinary changes such as frequency and urgency; Changes is bowel habits; Unexplained weight loss or weight gain; Abdominal bloating or increase in size; Appetite loss, feeling full quickly.

According to Cancer Australia, ovarian cancer symptoms can include:

  • feeling bloated
  • pain in your abdomen or pelvic area
  • loss of appetite, feeling full after eating small amounts, or indigestion
  • changes to your toilet habits, such as difficulty urinating, needing to go urgently, or changes in bowel habits
  • unexplained weight loss or gain
  • feeling tired for no reason.

You should speak to your doctor if you are concerned about any of these symptoms. Think about using Ovarian Cancer Australia’s symptom diary. This can help you keep track of symptoms and present them to your doctor.

Find more information

Exercise after cancer

Judy Sammut OAM is an exercise instructor with a lived experience of breast cancer. She is tireless advocate for exercise after cancer, and volunteered for Counterpart for nearly 20 years. In 2013, she was awarded with our inaugral Champion award in recognition of everything she has done for women with cancer. She has kindly shared the story of how she came to be involved in Counterpart.

Judy Sammut

In the beginning, Sue Lockwood declared, ‘I have a dream… we need a drop-in and resource centre for women with breast cancer’, and she sought support from those of us members of the Breast Cancer Action Group with experience in the ever-widening field of breast cancer. ‘Make a list’ she said, ‘of what you would like to see in this centre’.

Having run the gauntlet of breast cancer in 1992, which included a mastectomy and implant reconstruction, TRAM flap reconstruction followed by another mastectomy, followed by six months of chemotherapy, I reckon I’ve experienced many breast cancer challenges.

During the two-year recovery period I discovered the importance of specific exercises to stretch my chest wall, relieve the tightness that resulted from the axillary clearance, regain my range of movement and restore my damaged body to wellness. One of my sons, a physical education student, and I created a series of relevant exercises that provided the ideal recovery outcome.

I then discovered the YWCA Encore program, a land and warm water pool exercise program that was new to Australia, and I was so impressed with the huge benefits to breast cancer sufferers that I trained as one of the first groups of qualified instructors prior to it becoming a national program. I conducted these programs for 20 years.

A flyer in black printed on a light green with Feel Good written across the top in cursive font, and a photo of a woman stretching her arms above her head.
A 2007 flyer for the Feel Good Gentle Exercise program.

My experience led me to joining up with other driven women to improve the lack of services for breast cancer. So when Sue Lockwood said, ‘Make a list’, mine included, among the many other features available today at Counterpart, an exercise program, of course! Staff members Di Missen and Helen Shepherd undertook with enthusiasm many hours of research and hard work and the enormous task of breathing life into Sue’s dream, and then BreaCan became a reality. As the opening date for BreaCan approached, Sue said to me, ‘You wanted the exercise program – well go for it girl, it’s all yours.’ So what else could I do but say OK? But where were we to hold this program? And what do we call it?

It was decided that we’d try out the Feel Good Gentle Exercise Program on a fortnightly basis and following a slow start, the numbers increased noticeably – we had as many as 21 women at some sessions. More recent years have seen us provide a Stepping Into Wellness with many thanks to Teresa Amelio’s Pink Affair‘s generous funding a 6 week exercise program in many different suburbs.

Judy Sammut AM (right), with the Hon Mary Wooldridge MP, Minister for Mental Health and Community Services, after being awarded the inaugral BreaCan Champion Award in 2013.

Over the years many women have participated in the Feel Good and Stepping Into Wellness sessions while coping with the dreaded emotional and physical rigours of breast cancer. It has been very rewarding and gives me so much pleasure watching the camaraderie develop between them and the reassurance they feel of having appropriate exercises tailored to the limitations they experience following surgery. I love watching them move on, return to work, capture and restore their health and their lives, although sadly not all of them do.

I am privileged to be part of this unique service and watching as it continues to develop and expand under the professional and caring guidance of management and staff and, of course, the warmth of the empathetic volunteers.

What’s new – January 2024

What’s new in January, with links to support, information and other items of interest.

Expanded listing on the PBS for ovarian cancer treatment

Recently, the Medicines Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) recommended the government subsidise two Homologous Recombination Deficiency (HRD) tests, expanding access to PARP inhibitors in ovarian cancer. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) followed suit, recommending subsidies for two PARP inhibitor medicines for this additional group. The first of these listings has now been formalised with another on track for confirmation in the coming months, paving the way for affordable and equitable treatment access.

Read more about this development on Ovarian Cancer Australia’s website. 

4 February is World Cancer Day

Create an event, spread the word, or take on the World Cancer Day 5km Challenge! These are just some of the ways you can get involved this World Cancer Day.

For more details visit the take action page of the World Cancer Day website.

The World Indigenous Cancer Conference 2024

The World Indigenous Cancer Conference 2024 presents an opportunity to bring key Indigenous cancer researchers, clinicians, advocates and community to Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. The conference will identify international research priorities, foster new collaboration, enhance capacity and share knowledge and information about Indigenous people living with cancer on a global scale.

The event is hosted by the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) and will take place on 18–24 March at Pullman Melbourne on the park hotel. Visit the World Indigenous Cancer Conference website for full details.

Help deliver a national agenda to support Australia’s unpaid carers

The Department of Social Services are looking for experienced carers to help them develop the National Carer Strategy. The strategy will provide a framework for the coordination of carer policy across Commonwealth portfolios. If you have experience as a carer and would like to apply to be on the National Carer Strategy Advisory Committee visit the Engage website today. 

Applications close on Monday 29 January 2024. 

Nutritional support during cancer treatment webinar

Nutritional support can play a significant role in improving the overall quality of life for people living with cancer. Watch our recent webinar presented by Tanya Wells, an experienced Integrative Oncology Practitioner from Melbourne Integrative Oncology Group.

View the webinar on the Counterpart webinar recordings webpage here.

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Are you or someone close to you looking for reliable information, relevant to Australian women regarding cervical cancer? The Counterpart Navigator App has a whole section on cervical cancer and covers diagnosis, treatment, after treatment and recurrence. The Navigator can be accessed on the Counterpart website.

The team at Counterpart wishes you a safe and happy festive season

We want to thank you for your support in 2023. We are looking forward to continuing to provide quality connections, support and information to women affected by cancer across Victoria in 2024.

Counterpart Resource Centre hours

Our Resource Centre will be closed from 5pm on the 14 December 2023 until the 15 January 2024 to give our volunteers a chance to rest and recharge.

We are providing limited phone and email support on:

  • Monday 18 December, Wednesday 20 December and Thursday 21 December 2023
  • Wednesday 3 January and Thursday 4 January 2024
  • Monday 8 January, Wednesday 10 January and Thursday 11 January 2024.

If you need support, please contact us via phone on 1300 781 500, email [email protected], or our online request form.

Looking after yourself during the festive season

The festive season can be a challenging time so it’s important to make some time for some self-care. Below we have listed some resources that might help your patients look after themselves.

Webinars:

  • ‘All is calm’  – Social worker Lynda Evans outlines strategies to look after ourselves and enjoy the festivities while remaining as calm and stress-free as possible
  • ‘Maintaining Habits of Health Living’ – Dr Amanda Horden discusses strategies to create all kinds of habits of healthy living, including exercise, to keep up motivation and manage any barriers you might experience.
  • ‘Healthy Boundaries’ – Kathy Jerin discusses setting healthy boundaries, while protecting our energy, dignity, privacy and identity.

Online information:

Phone support services:

What’s new – November 2023

What’s new in November, with links to support, information and other items of interest.

World Pancreatic Cancer Day – 16 Nov

World Pancreatic Cancer Day will be held on 16 November, during Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

Our friends at the Pancare Foundation are working with other members of the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Alliance to Light Australia Purple. From the Big Banana to the MCG , iconic locations across Australia will light up their buildings purple to raise important awareness for this devastating disease.

See a full list of the locations set to light up purple on PanCare’s website.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Although smoking is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer, 1 in 3 Australian women diagnosed with the disease have never smoked.

As with most cancers, early detection is linked to better outcomes, so it is important that everyone knows the symptoms. If you have any concerns make sure to talk to your doctor.

Read more about lung cancer and available support on the Lung Foundation Australia’s website.

New national cancer plan launched

The Australian Government has launched a new national cancer plan. This plan is designed to improve cancer outcomes for all Australians, and particularly for those groups whose health outcomes are poorest. Achieving equity in cancer outcomes will be a fundamental measure of success for the plan. This will align Australia with global calls to improve cancer outcomes for all people.

Find out more about the Australian Cancer Plan.

Caring through touch – new resource

Massage can help reduce symptoms such as stress, pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue in those undergoing cancer treatment.

The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre has produced a new resource called Caring through touch. This video shares how to provide gentle massage to someone with cancer, using safe and simple massage techniques. 

Watch the Caring through touch video.

Study: Body Appreciation in female cancer survivors

Researchers from Flinders University are looking for female cancer survivors 18 years and over to participate in a study comparing the impact of two writing interventions and a neutral writing control on body image and overall wellbeing.

Participants will spend up to 30-minutes writing, and will be guided through the writing exercise through the use of structured writing prompts.

Get more information or participate in this study.

Enhanced Victorian Cancer Trials Link website launched

The recently relaunched Victorian Cancer Trials Link connects people affected by cancer and their clinicians with information about current cancer clinical trials in Victoria, Australia.

It has a range of information and resources to help you understand how clinical trials work and allows you to easily search for current trials to discuss with your doctor.

Visit the Victorian Cancer Trials Link.  

Survey: Engaging with patients through clinical research

CT:IQ and the VCCC Alliance are conducting the Beyond the Form project to better understand ongoing communication strategies between researchers and participants in clinical research. 

They have created a survey seeking information from people working in Australian health and medical research. This survey asks about communication strategies that health professionals and researchers have used themselves, and/or think should be used by other researchers in the future. The results of this survey will contribute to the Beyond the Form project and may feed into future publications.

Find out more about Beyond the Form or complete the survey.

Findings from the latest Cancer Nursing Workforce Survey

The findings from the latest Cancer Nursing Workforce Survey by the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA) provides valuable workforce insights.

These will inform employers, policymakers and government about the state of the workforce and the delivery of cancer services. 

Read about the CNSA Workforce Survey.

What’s new – October

What’s new in October, with links to support, information and other items of interest.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day (October 13)

13 Oct Metastatic breast cancer awareness day. white text on an orange background.

If you or someone you know is affected by Metastatic Breast Cancer they may be interested to learn about this list of resources and information on how to access support. Visit the Information for women with advanced/metastatic cancer page.

National Carers Week, celebrated from 15–21 October 2023

15-21 October 2023 Millions of reasons to care White text on a blue background.

This year’s theme, ‘Millions of reasons to care’, will highlight the diversity of carers and their caring roles. There’s a range of different events being held across the state. To find out more, visit the Carers Victoria website.

Skin cancer panel at LMICS Annual Forum 2023

VICS Loddon Mallee Integrated Cancer Service Annual Forum 2023 Tuesday 14 November 12.00pm–1.15pm Online

Join this online event, supported by Loddon Mallee Oncology Special Interest Group (LMOSIG) to hear from a panel of speakers focusing on the various aspects of skin cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment and new clinical initiatives. Register for the free webinar via Try Booking

Webinar for health professionals – Cancer mind care: breaking down the barriers

VCCC Alliance logo Overcoming cancer together

Around 40% of individuals with cancer also experience mental health concerns. In this webinar, a multidisciplinary line-up of experts will discuss how to address and work effectively with the barriers to treating people with both mental health concerns and cancer. Read more and register on the VCCC website.

What’s new – September

What’s new in September, with links to support, information and other items of interest.

Virtual Victorian Cancer Survivorship Community of Practice

Simple icon of a laptop with an online meeting.

The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre and the Victorian Department of Health will jointly host the Victorian Cancer Survivorship Community of Practice (COP).

The October COP will be held online on 4 October, 2.00pm–4.00pm.

This forum offers professionals working with individuals affected by cancer the chance to discuss crucial survivorship topics and learn from providers delivering high-quality care across Victoria.

See more and register to attend the Community of Practice

Lymphoma Australia webinar: ‘Working & Lymphoma’

Lymphoma Australia logo

This is part one of a 3 part mini-series aimed to help support families through a lymphoma diagnosis.

This webinar was presented by Occupational Therapists from Selsus, Andrew Smith and Dr Amy Wallis.

View the ‘Working & Lymphoma’ webinar recording on YouTube. 

Navigator icon of a sylized compass

Visit the Counterpart Navigator for reliable information and resources on different types of gynaecological cancer:

  • cervical
  • ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal
  • placental
  • uterine (including endometrial)
  • vaginal
  • vulval.

Sections include ‘just diagnosed’, ‘having treatment’, ‘after treatment’ and more.

Go to the Counterpart Navigator 

Precious Time: Victoria’s largest online resource for end-of-life care and support

Collage of people hugging or holding hands against a yellow background.

Precious Time has been created by the North Western Melbourne PHN to support people to die well, including allowing people to be cared for and to die at home as they wish.  

The Precious Time platform has been designed in collaboration with people, carers and clinicians.

Visit Precious Time 

What’s new – August

What’s new in August, with links to support, information and other items of interest.

The VICS website provides an easier way to find cancer information

VICS website mocked up on laptop

The Adult Cancer Resources search function of the VICS website now includes a new filtering page. The tool provides an easier way to find information on specific cancer types as well as the different stages of cancer, type of resource and/or ICS region. Visit the VICS website to search for information today.

Free Cancer Wellness Program webinar

ACSC and Cancer Council Vic logos

Live on 8 September this session, hosted by Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (ACSC) and Cancer Council Victoria will feature experts offering practical tips and strategies for living well with and beyond cancer. The aim is to assist survivors to make the change from clinical management to supported self-management. Read more and register for the Cancer Wellness Program.

The conversation: What are lymph nodes? And can a massage really improve lymphatic draining?

conversation brand mark

This article explores what the lymphatic system is, its important role in immune health, problems with lymph flow and how lymphatic drainage massage can help when undergoing cancer treatment. Read the article on theconversation.com.  

Guardian podcast about young people and cancer risk

Full story, The Guardian

The rate of cancer is rising in young people. This podcast features Deputy news editor Josephine Tovey sharing her story of dealing with bowel cancer in her mid-30s followed by Science writer Donna Lu who explains what’s behind the worrying rise in cancer rates. Listen via the Guardian website.

World Lung Cancer Day

text '1 Aug, World Lung Cancer Awareness Day' with graphic of white lungs on Turquois background.

This awareness day, held on 1 August is a good reminder to check our lung health. The Lung Foundation have a quick interactive 2-minute lung health checklist that you can fill in online to see how your lungs are tracking. Visit the lung health webpage to get started.  

2023 Victorian Cancer Patient Experience Survey results

survey results page mocked up on laptop sitting on table next to vase of flowers.

More than 3630 patients shared their experiences from last year of diagnosis, decision making, treatment, emergency department attendance, follow-up care, information received, and overall care. Approved health organisations can view the data via the Victorian Healthcare Experience Survey portal – Look for ‘Cancer in Victoria 2022’.

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