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.

Source: Cancer Council

The majority of Australian parents mistakenly believe their baby needs direct exposure to sunlight which could be putting them at dangerous risk of skin cancer later in life, according to the results of a new poll conducted by The Cancer Council NSW in conjunction with Huggies Little Swimmers® swimpants.

“It’s a real worry that almost 80% of parents quizzed believe their baby needs direct sunlight, when in fact we recommend babies are kept out of the sun as much as possible during this very vulnerable time in their lives.

When that’s not possible, it’s important to know how best to protect your child’s skin”, said Kay Coppa, Skin Cancer Prevention Manager at The Cancer Council NSW.

The poll found 60%, out of almost 18,500 respondents, thought their youngster needed 15 minutes of direct sunlight a day, which has caused great concern to the Cancer Council.

“An adult’s skin can burn in as little as 15 minutes. Babies skin is a lot more sensitive and needs to be protected every day from the sun, even on cool or cloudy days,” said Ms Coppa.

“This summer we’ll be working with Huggies Little Swimmers® to help encourage parents to be sunsafe with their babies. All they have to do is go to the Little Swimmers website to find out the latest information. We’ll have expert tips available and answer any sun safety questions parents may have, online,” she said.

Alison Holland, Head of Marketing for Huggies®, said, “We’re really excited to be working with the Cancer Council to help mums and dads make sure they’re being sun safe with their baby. Becoming a parent involves a huge learning curve and it’s particularly important for new parents to learn how to protect their baby’s skin.

We’re expecting tens of thousands of parents to log on over the next few months and have the benefit of being able to gain expert advice directly from the Cancer Council.”

According to The Cancer Council NSW, research shows unprotected exposure in the first 15 years of a child’s life significantly increases their risk of skin cancer in later years.

Source: Cancer Council

To detect cancer early there are two things you can do:

1. Have a check-up. See your doctor promptly if you notice any changes
2. Attend a screening program if it’s recommended for you

Check-ups – Why should I have a check up and when?

• Most cancers can be detected in the early stages, when they’re easier to treat if the symptoms are noticed
• It is important for people of all ages to have a check up from your GP when you notice anything unusual or have any concerns. Know what is normal for you so that you can quickly identify when there are changes.

Things to look out for are:

• Lumps or sores that don’t heal (like an ulcer in your mouth)
• Coughs or hoarseness that won’t go away
• Unexplained weight loss
• A mole or skin spot that changes shape, size or colour
• Changes in your toilet habits

Screening – What is screening and is it for me?

Screening is not recommended for everyone. It involves having a test for cancer when you don’t have any symptoms. It’s a great way of detecting some cancers early, when there’s a much better chance of treatment. It is recommended for specific groups where we know that there is a definite benefit.

They are:

• Women 50 -69 years of age should attend mammographic screening for breast cancer every two years
• Women 18 -70 years of age should have a Pap test for cancer of the cervix every two years
• Men and women 50 years and over should test for bowel cancer using a Bowel cancer testing kit once a year
• Individuals who have a mother, father, sister or brother who has had cancer should see their doctor to discuss their individual risk.

What should I do if I am worried about a specific cancer?

If you have any concerns or if you have a family history see your doctor to identify your own risk.