What’s new – February 2022

Links to support, information and other items from the cancer sector.

• Focus groups on older women, body image and the internet
• New ovarian cancer research factsheet
• Carers Couch: support for carers
• Research project: breast screening for older women
• New Help Literacy hub
• New support group for women with metastatic breast cancer

Participants wanted for focus groups of older women, body image and the internet

Are you a woman, transwoman or gender diverse person presumed female at birth aged 50 and over? Would you like to provide feedback to guide the design and content of a proposed new website about body image?

Women’s Health Victoria would love to hear your thoughts. We are seeking around 30 women, transwomen and gender diverse people presumed female at birth from a range of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, with diverse body shapes and abilities, and varied sexualities for one-off online focus groups.

Please feel free to share with your networks!

Duration: one hour

Reimbursement: $50 gift voucher

Format: online, with experienced facilitator Mary Macheras-Magias

Interested? To find out more, please contact Kate Johnston-Ataata via email ([email protected]) or phone (03 9664 9302) by Wednesday 10 March 2022.

New ovarian cancer research factsheet

This Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Ovarian Cancer Australia have released a new factsheet with the latest in ovarian cancer research and clinical trials.

The factsheet provides an overview of worldwide research into risk factors, prevention, screening (early detection), new treatments and psychosocial research. It also provides links to further information and support.

Browse Ovarian Cancer Australia’s factsheets.

Carers Couch: support for carers

Carers Couch have launched a brand new website making it easier for people caring for people affected by cancer to access support and information. 

Carers Couch supports unpaid carers to make caring more manageable. Whatever you need, they can guide and connect you to services, solutions and emotional or community support.

Visit the Carers Couch website.

Research project: breast screening for older women

Researchers at La Trobe University and Deakin University are looking for women over 75 years to help them understand breast cancer screening motivations and behaviours of Australian women.

You are invited to participate if you are over 75 years old and fit into one of the following categories:

1. Accessing the BreastScreen Australia program.

2. Accessing non-BreastScreen, private breast cancer screening (e.g. at a GP).

3. Not participating in breast cancer screening.

To participate, you can choose to do a one-hour interview (online via Zoom, or over the phone) OR take part in a focus group (online via Zoom). The researchers will audio record the interview (with your permission). They will ask a series of questions and will invite you to tell them about your experiences of breast cancer screening.

You will be offered a $50 Coles Myer voucher for your participation and may be reimbursed for any reasonable travel, parking or other associated costs.

If you would like more information or are interested in being part of the study, please contact:
Name: Dr. Virginia Dickson-Swift, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University Bendigo
Email: [email protected]

Phone: 03 5444 7852 (leave a message and Virginia will call you to arrange an interview or answer any questions you might have)

Ethics Approval Number HEC 21249

New Help Literacy Hub

The Gather My Crew app is a tool to coordinate help from friends and family when you are ill.

Asking for help when you need it can be hard. It can also be hard to know how to offer help. For this reason, Gather My Crew have launched a new Help Literacy hub. The hub has a range of resources to give you support and guidance when giving and receiving help.

Visit the Help Literacy Hub.

New support group for women with metastatic breast cancer

The Thursday Girls have extended their reach of the group to all women living with metastatic breast cancer in Victoria.

For more information on their free, professionally-led weekly therapeutic group meetings on Zoom:

Call Marg on 9894 4942 or Sue on 0414 272 706, or

Email [email protected]

Visit the Thursday Girls website.