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http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0904/S00006.htm
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$1.25 million boost for women with breast cancer | ||
1st April 2009 For immediate release
$1.25 million boost in support for women with breast cancer
The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation is embarking on an ambitious million dollar move to improve the wellbeing of women with breast cancer.
The Foundation is committing $1.25 million over the next year to fund community-based support programmes and special projects designed to help women deal with the physical and psychological effects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
"The effects of a breast cancer diagnosis remain long after treatment ends. Research, awareness, early detection and treatment are all important, but women have been asking for services that help them to resume a normal life after treatment," said executive trustee Heather Shotter.
With the Foundation's support this year, Pink Pilates – a personalised health programme designed to help women regain physical strength, rebuild self esteem and improve body confidence – has been rolled out from its Auckland base to an additional 11 centres.
The services of Sweet Louise, which provides support for women with secondary breast cancer, are also being expanded nationally thanks to a funding commitment of over $500,000 from The Foundation over the next three years. The Foundation will be supporting Auckland-based Sweet Louise expand its programme of counselling, physical wellbeing and everyday round-the-home help to further centres around the country.
Ms Shotter says The Foundation wants to ensure these vital services reach as many women as possible.
"Regardless of where they live, New Zealand women should be able to access all the support they need to get through this difficult time. As a long standing national organisation, we are in a position to support smaller organisations in expanding their services.
"We all want the same thing – to improve outcomes for New Zealand women with breast cancer. Now, more than ever, we need to be working together to improve results for New Zealand women."
In addition to the focus on wellbeing, the ambitious new plan released today outlines an expansion of The Foundation's other services, such as research & professional development for the medical community.
Another initiative – funded by The Foundation's research and medical grant programme is The Breast Cancer Patient Registers – which bring together public and private health records of women with breast cancer.
This enables health researchers to identify better ways to improve delivery of care for breast cancer patients.
The Auckland and Waikato registers have already delivered valuable insights to researchers, and The Foundation is looking to extend the programme nationally, with discussions currently taking place with researchers in other major New Zealand centres.
Meanwhile, The Foundation's cornerstone education and awareness programme, which offers a nationwide community education road show as well as on-request seminars, will also take a fresh approach to communicating the importance of breast health to New Zealand women.
A specific focus will be on obtaining better engagement with hard-to-reach audiences, including Maori and Pacific groups.
Ms Shotter says that although these groups are currently the target of many public health campaigns, these messages are not getting through.
"It is distressing to know that while Maori and Pacific groups are the most likely to die from breast cancer, we are still not seeing enough of these women presenting themselves for mammograms that could save their lives.
"We are determined to work with diverse health groups to develop programmes and resources that are effective in encouraging at-risk groups to be proactive with their breast health", she says.
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