For the past three years, the theme for World Cancer Day has been ‘Close the Care Gap’.
In 2024, World Cancer Day’s ‘Close the Care Gap’ campaign aims to engage leaders to make changes to reduce the care gap and eliminate health inequities by ensuring that every person impacted by a cancer diagnosis has access to quality health services when, where and how they need them.
Here in South Australia this World Cancer Day, Cancer Council SA will be working to highlight the cancer care gap for rural and regional South Australians to ensure these communities have access to life-saving treatment which is unavailable close to their homes.
With the cost of living rising, and the huge cost of travel and accommodation in the city, many regional people diagnosed with cancer may make the decision to stop treatment and stay home to be with their family and loved ones.
Cancer Council SA provides 120 rooms of subsidised accommodation for regional people who need to travel to Adelaide for treatment. Loxton local, Carina Nicholson has stayed at Cancer Council SA’s Greenhill Lodge for a total of six weeks across her six-year journey with breast cancer.
When Carina discovered a small lump in her breast, her life took an unexpected turn. After receiving her breast cancer diagnosis, she underwent surgery, followed by two rounds of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation in Adelaide.
“There’s no way I would have been able to afford six weeks of staying in Adelaide during radiation therapy without Greenhill Lodge,” Carina said.
Shining a light on ovarian cancer
More than 1,000 Australians lose their lives to ovarian cancer each year. This Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month we spoke to Cancer Council SA 13 11 20 Nurse, Deb Roffe about the common symptoms of ovarian cancer, and the importance of listening to your body and seeing your GP when something doesn’t feel quite right.
“As busy workers, mothers, and partners, we can often put others in our lives before ourselves. But it’s important to make your health a priority too as unfortunately, many people don’t know what’s normal for their body,’’ Deb said.
“Ovarian cancer symptoms can be similar to other common conditions which can make it hard to diagnose early. If you have any ovarian cancer symptoms and they are new for you, are severe or continue for more than two or a few weeks, it is best to have a check-up.”
Ovarian cancer symptoms are more likely to develop as the cancer grows and can include:
- loss of appetite or feeling full quickly
- changes in toilet habits
- indigestion and nausea
- feeling very tired
- pressure, pain or discomfort in the abdomen or pelvis
- a swollen or bloated abdomen
- weight loss or weight gain
- changes to periods
- pain during sex
Deb is one of Cancer Council SA’s experienced 13 11 20 Nurses who support more than 5,000 South Australians impacted by cancer every year.
If you or someone you know is impacted by ovarian cancer, Cancer Council SA’s experienced cancer nurses are just a phone call away for information and support on 13 11 20.
If you’d like to find out how you can get involved this World Cancer Day:
If you would like to support Cancer Council SA’s accommodation services with a donation:
