Discover the latest progress in cancer research, education and clinical care delivered by the VCCC Alliance.Subscribe now
NAIDOC Week provides the perfect opportunity for us as a society to reflect, engage and be inspired by First Nations people. In equal measure it’s a chance for us to recalibrate and align our efforts in striving for greater equity in cancer care and outcomes.
This year’s theme of NAIDOC Week Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! calls for us to work collectively towards systemic change to support and secure institutional, structural, collaborative and cooperative reforms. I think this sentiment is directly transferrable into how we improve cancer care and outcomes for Indigenous people.
As we start another NAIDOC week, it is time to reflect and celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. This year’s theme acknowledges the history of sustained activism in this country.
From the frontier wars and our earliest resistance fighters to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities fighting for change today—we continue to show up. We cannot afford to lose momentum for change.
To celebrate NAIDOC Week, the VCCC Alliance hosted a special Monday Lunch Live centred on improving care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with advanced disease.
An expert panel featuring Professor Gail Garvey (GG), Abe Ropitini (AR), Clare O’Reilly (CO) and consumer Leah Lindrea-Morrison (LLM) discussed the more practical side of improving palliative care for Aboriginal patients with cancer in line with the Victorian Aboriginal cancer journey strategy.
Sarcoma is a rare and complex cancer (malignant tumour) arising from the bone, cartilage or soft tissues such as fat, muscle, connective tissue or blood vessels. Sarcomas can form anywhere in the body and are frequently hidden deep in the limbs. They are often misdiagnosed as a benign (non-cancerous) lump, or as a sporting injury or growing pains in young people.