HEALTHY LIFESTYLE RESEARCH PROGRAM

Cancer Council NSW is seeking people who have finished their cancer treatment and/or their carers or partners to participate in a new healthy lifestyle program.

Called ENRICH (exercise and nutrition routine improving cancer health), the program aims to improve lifestyle risk behaviours by providing education and skill development in a series of motivational health coaching sessions and via linking to existing resources to support life-long behaviour changes.

To our knowledge, this is the first Australian program aimed at both cancer survivors and their partners/carers designed to assist participants to make positive and sustainable lifestyle changes.

About the research
The research study is supported by funding provided from the Australian Better Health Initiative: A joint Australian, State and Territory government initiative.

The purpose of the research study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the ENRICH program in assisting people to make healthy lifestyle changes. Evaluation will be undertaken by the Centre for Health Research and Psycho-oncology and the University of Newcastle.

About the program
Programs start from February 2010. Exercise Physiologists and Dietitians co-facilitate each session and provide tailored advice as needed.

You will hear the latest nutritional advice and receive great food shopping tips. You will also learn new ways to improve your fitness and set your own physical activity goals.

Participants are required to attend six face-to-face sessions (of two hours) over the course of eight weeks. As this is a research project, there will be some surveys to be filled out.

If you are interested in finding out more information or registering for the ENRICH Program, call Gabrielle Asprey, Project Coordinator on 02 9334 1772 or use the contact form below.

Registrations into the program are open from end of November 2009 to end of January 2010.

If this is for you then Click here to be involved.

One in every nine Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of 85. It could be a mother, sister, aunt, cousin, niece or friend. Whoever they are, one thing they have in common is that they will all need our help and support.

This year, Cancer Council’s Pink Ribbon Day is on Monday, October 26th. Pink Ribbon Day is your chance to help raise money and awareness for all Australian women affected by breast cancer.

For as much as we do to help improve survival rates and treatments, the fact is there is still so much more to be done.

Show your support for breast cancer by ordering pink products to sell, volunteering your time to help, buying pink, holding a pink fundraiser, or making a donation. Go to www.pinkribbonday.com.au for more information.

Help the Cancer Council campaign to raise awareness of bowel cancer and the importance of free screening for everyone over 50.

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The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is currently only available to select age groups which means more than 5 million Australians are missing out on a simple test that could save their lives.

Cancer Council believe every Australian over 50 has the right to a free National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

Cancer Council are asking all Australians to email their local Member of Parliament urging them to put pressure on the Australian Government to expand the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program to include two-yearly screening for everyone over 50 by 2012.

By generating thousands of emails we want to show the Government that Australians want a firm commitment to full implementation of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in the next budget – a move which has the potential to save more than 30 lives each week.

Show your support by telling your local Member of Parliament to get behind bowel screening.

Make a noise and make a difference!

By filling in your details on the http://www.getbehindbowelscreening.com.au campaign website you can send an automated email to your local Member of Parliament urging them to put pressure on the Government to get behind bowel screening.

Sourced: Cancer Council

Giving up smoking this New Year is the single most effective way a smoker can improve their health and the health of those around them.

That’s according to Cancer Council NSW, which today offered some handy tips to help smokers achieve the New Year’s resolution of quitting smoking from midnight tomorrow (31 December).

“There is never an ideal time to give up; you just need to have a go,” Wendy Oakes, Tobacco Control Manager at Cancer Council NSW said.

“The good news for smokers is that it will become a little easier to quit next year, as tempting cigarette displays are banned from shops, vending machines are restricted in pubs and clubs, and smoking with a child in the car is outlawed.

“One of the best ways to quit is to take the temptation to smoke out of your life. Remove ashtrays and cigarette packets from around the house and give your rooms a good airing to remove the smoke particles, which stick to furnishings.

“Another great tip is to plan distractions for the times when you are most likely to want a smoke. If you like a smoke first thing in the morning, go out for a walk to take your mind off the craving.

“And reward yourself. Keep the money you would have spent on cigarettes and use it to spoil yourself on a holiday or some nice new clothes,” Ms Oakes said. Ms Oakes also said that while giving up smoking could be difficult, the alternative options – cancer, heart problems and other life threatening diseases – were far more difficult to deal with.

“Alarming new figures show lung cancer has overtaken breast cancer as the cause of the most cancer deaths in Australian women*. This is a chilling reminder of what smoking can lead to,” she said.

“New year is a timely opportunity to quit smoking. Stop gambling with your health and reap the benefits in the New Year and long in to the future.”

Figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report: Cancer in Australia 2008:
An Overview.

Lung cancer deaths in Australian women in 2001: 2,380 (breast = 2,594)
Lung cancer deaths in Australian women in 2005: 2,716 (breast = 2,707)