Cancer Council Support Newsletter December 2020

A Message from our CEO

Hello everyone and I do sincerely wish everyone a safe and happy festive season after what has been an extraordinary year for so many people, families and businesses.

Cancer Council Tasmania was also affected by the impacts of COVID-19 and certainly closing our support centres, not being able to connect as easily with our clients and yet knowing our support was needed, has been difficult for everyone. However the positives of still staying connected by telephone, the world of technology allowing us to provide on line programs and the gradual ease back to face to face appointments has allowed us to stay in touch with many of you.

We know that cancer diagnoses has not diminished due to COVID-19. This terrible disease impacts the lives of so many Tasmanians every year. With over 9 Tasmanians receiving a cancer diagnosis every day and 33,000 Tasmanians still living with or from a cancer diagnosis, the commitment to our mission remains focussed and strong.

Our centres are now reopening and services and programs gradually being reintroduced. Please contact us and encourage others to do the same. The support provided by the wonderful CCT staff is for anyone impacted by cancer be it their own diagnosis or someone they know. Take care everyone and stay safe.

- Penny

Support Services over the Christmas Period

The Holiday Season is almost upon us and while it can be ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ we know it can also be a difficult time for so many reasons, such as loneliness, dealing with family, the pressure of the holidays, supports being closed over the period and how busy and overwhelming the shops and community become during this time.

Our Support Centres will close at 2pm on Thursday the 24th December and re-open on Monday 4th January 2021.

If you need support during this time, you can call:

Lifeline Tasmania: 1800 98 44 34 (more details at the bottom of this newsletter)
Lifeline (national) 13 11 14
The Cancer Council support and information line will also be open 29 – 31 December: 13 11 20

Support for Young Tasmanians

A cancer diagnosis has a wide-reaching impact – it’s not just the person with cancer who struggles, but all of the people who love and care for them.

When Lachie’s father was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma in 2018, Lachie (pictured, left) was required to care for his Dad, driving him to medical appointments, keeping the house clean and taking on adult responsibilities – all while finishing his year 12 studies. In late 2019, the day after his 19th birthday, Lachie lost his Dad to cancer.

When young people have to step up as a carer and head of the household, it becomes difficult to manage studies, work, relationships and social connections. We offer our Seize the Day Educational Scholarships each year to help young Tasmanians aged 16-25 impacted by cancer, with funds going towards study-related costs for post-secondary courses. It’s not only financial help – we also offer emotional support and referrals to relevant community services. Lachie received a scholarship in 2020 and has been studying a Bachelor of Property at Bond University in Queensland. He has also linked with our support staff for help dealing with his grief – losing a parent is tough.

It is our privilege to work with Lachie and others like him – if you would like more information about our scholarships, please contact Sarah on 1300 65 65 85 or fill out our enquiry form here: https://www.cancertas.org.au/seize-the-day-educational-scholarship-enquiry-form/

We offer the following Support Services:

- Individual Support

- Support Groups

- Complementary Therapy Programs

- Financial Assistance

- transport2treatment

- Wig Library

- Pro-Bono Program for free legal, financial and business advice (means tested)

- Support for Under 25s

Tai Chi

Tai Chi – We have recently been running Tai Chi programs in all of our Support Centres with lots of lovely feedback from participants. We would like to introduce you to our wonderful Tai Chi Facilitators; Wendy in the South (below right), Grant in the North and Barbara in the North-West (below left).

Wendy enjoys engaging with participants in the 6 week Tai chi programs, where students receive the invitation to expand, to balance, to flow and BE. Wendy says; “The practice encourages the attention of the whole self, body, mind and heart. I observe students prepared to be open, vulnerable and humble.”

Grant is keen to share the benefits of Tai Chi, including improved cardio-respiratory function, immune capacity, reduced stress, anxiety and depression, with greater mental control, muscle strength and flexibility.

Barbara says “There is a soft focus on regaining equilibrium and harmony between body, mind, and breath. We find our balance again, both physically and mentally, and take the opportunity to become who we might be. For some people it may open a door to joining community groups, for others it will show a path they may wish to pursue in the future, and for some it will resonate because they have tried it previously but did not have the time for self which they now have found” Please contact us if you would like to know more about our Tai Chi program in your local centre.

Oncology Massage in the South

Oncology Massage and Bowen Therapy will be recommencing in our Southern Support Centre in December. Bowen therapy is a holistic, remedial body technique that works on the soft connective tissue (fascia) of the body. Southern clients can call us for more information.

From our Cancer Prevention Team

The Cancer Prevention team at Cancer Council Tasmania want to wish everyone a happy festive season. It has been a long year for a lot of people and we just wanted to give a gratitude shout out to everyone who has supported us to reach more Tasmanians than ever.

When COVID-19 restrictions reduced our capacity to reach the community, our team developed a range of new online strategies to connect with more Tasmanians. The great news is that we are now out and about having our vital in-person contact and can deliver our health promotion sessions again. This is really important to us as around 80% of Tasmanians who attend our sessions intend to make changes to reduce their cancer risk.

The Cancer Prevention team have come out of COVID-19 stronger than ever, supporting Tasmanians to make healthy choices to reduce their cancer risk, and take steps to improve early detection rates. In 2021, we are looking forward to getting back to what we have always done well with our face to face contact and lots of new ways to reach people online to increase our messaging. All the best from the Cancer Prevention team who are wishing you a happy and safe Christmas holiday season - pictured below; Ash, Duncan, Mandy & Ella.

Do you know about our Understanding Cancer resources?

We have a large range of resources about different types of cancer and treatment, information for carers and families with topics such as emotions, nutrition, exercise and how to talk to your kids about a cancer diagnosis. Please get in touch if you would like to know more.

Pro Bono Assistance

A cancer diagnosis may mean a loss of income, on top of many out of pocket costs that may not be covered by insurance. Cancer Council’s Pro Bono Program helps people affected by cancer access free legal, financial, small business accounting and workplace assistance, where they would be otherwise unable to do so due to cost, illness or other barriers. Cancer Council does not provide advice directly. We connect people affected by cancer with a volunteer professional in the community who will provide advice and assistance. If you think you might need this type of assistance please contact us.

A Tasmanian Lifeline

What a turbulent year we have been through and may still face. We understand that you, your friends and your family may have experienced massive amounts of change from the effects of COVID-19.

These sudden changes have caused an amount of fear, and that’s a totally understandable experience, but you don’t have to go through it alone.

If life is tough for you, or you just need to talk, you’re not alone. Call A Tasmanian Lifeline for free on 1800 98 44 34, between 8am and 8pm, 7 days.

Lifeline Tasmania’s group of dedicated team members are committed to support you and provide ideas to assist in these uncertain times.

Three types of free support are available:

Call in: you receive support from a trained support worker to discuss concerns and where appropriate, be directed to a referral service.

Call back: if you would like a follow up phone call after you call in you can book a convenient time to receive a call back.

Employee Assistance Program: a confidential free service to support your well-being in the workplace and personal life. Appointments can be made online at: https://atasmanianlifeline.com.au/organisations