Cancer Council Victoria’s 15th annual Arts Awards: Entries now open!

Cancer Council Victoria is pleased to announce that as of 15th January, entries are officially open for its 2012 Arts Awards. Now in their 15th year, the Arts Awards provide all Australians touched by cancer with an opportunity to express their experience creatively through art, writing or film.

The awards are open to both amateur and professional artists and entries are accepted in the categories of:

• Visual Art
• Short Story
• Film
• Poetry
• Indigenous Art
• Youth and Children’s Writing and Art

The theme for 2012 is ‘Strength’ and experts including writer and storyteller, Arnold Zable and children’s author, Tony Wilson, will judge entries. A range of works will be displayed via a touring exhibition with a grand opening on 29th July in Melbourne at 120 Collins Street. It will then travel throughout Victoria, including Melton, during September and October and at Burrinja Cultural Centre from 18th October – 18th November. An outstanding entry from each category will also be awarded a cash prize – $250 allocated for exceptional entries in children’s categories, $500 for the youth section and $1000 for adult categories.
Cancer Council Victoria spokesperson, Deb Stringer, says, “Cancer presents an enormous physical and emotional challenge for all those affected including patients, family, friends and carers. Whether directly affected or supporting a loved one, many will draw on their inner strength to help them get through such a difficult time. We run our Arts Awards initiative as artistic and literary expression can often help people through their cancer journey, and we believe the awards provide valuable support”.
This year, for the first time in the awards’ 15 year history, Cancer Council Victoria will be offering creative therapy workshops across the state. Participation in these workshops can help patients and their families find strength through creative pursuits.
Creative therapy sessions will be held in Melbourne on 18th February at Cancer Council Victoria’s Drummond Street premises, at Burrinja Cultural Centre on 17th March and the Melton Visitor Information Centre in March (see website for dates and bookings).
Entries close on 27 April 2012. For further information or to enter, please visit www.artsawards.com.au or call 1300 65 65 85.

Looking For Community Guides

Do you like to meet new people?
Do you have an interest in supporting and meeting Refugees?
Do you love this town?
Ballarat Community Health (BCH) is looking for Community Guides to welcome and support refugees newly settled in Ballarat.
We are particularly interested in sourcing people who have a refugee background themselves, are migrants and/or speak:
• Farsi/Dari/Persian or
• Kurdish (any dialect)
• Pashto, Uzbek or Turkmen and have good English.
The role includes showing new arrivals important places in town and assisting with registrations at major services.
Being a Community Guide is a PAID position. Training is provided prior to working with clients.
It is a very flexible position which can be matched to your individual needs.
If you are interested in finding out more, contact:
Paige Duggan
Humanitarian Settlement Services Worker at Ballarat Community Health on 03 5338 4500 or 0417 129 593.

Regional ASPREE Participants Recognised for Their Contribution to Healthy Ageing

Almost 200 seniors from the Ballarat district are commemorating the 250th participant from the region to be enrolled in an international healthy ageing study at a morning tea next week. ASPREE study participants, who are in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, will attend the morning tea at the North Ballarat Sports Club on Wednesday 30th November.
The study, ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) – the largest disease prevention trial ever undertaken in Australia – will determine whether taking aspirin can help maintain good health in people aged over 70 and if it should be regularly taken by otherwise healthy older people.
Senior ASPREE co-ordinator, Theresa Grice, who is based at the Ballarat clinical trial centre which opened in March this year, said the morning tea was to celebrate the goodwill shown by participants in the region. Some participants are travelling from as far as Stawell to attend the event.
“ASPREE is a public good study that has been embraced by the older community in rural and regional areas,” Ms Grice said.
“We want to thank our locals residents for their ongoing contribution to the wellbeing of generations in Australia and around the world.”
Led by Monash University in Melbourne and the Berman Centre for Outcomes & Clinical Research in the USA, ASPREE aims to recruit 19,000 healthy people aged 70 years and over – 12,500 from Australia. The Ballarat Clinical Trial centre is one of six regional centres in Victoria.
ASPREE will determine if aspirin can help prevent or delay the onset of diseases common to old age, including heart attack, certain strokes, dementia and some forms of cancer. Half of the participants are taking 100mg of enteric coated aspirin and the other half a matching placebo (an inactive tablet). Each participant is followed up once a year for five years. Annual follow-ups involve a number of health, clinical and other measurements, with abnormalities reported directly to the participant’s GP for further assessment.
I believe this may be Victoria’s biggest gathering of research participants, and the participants are looking forward to an update of the study by our lead investigator Professor McNeil, followed by a local GP Dr Rob Campbell discussing his involvement and finally Jane Tinette a local pharmacist will talk about medication reviews.
Also at the morning tea, the ASPREE Healthy Ageing Biobus will be parked out front of the venue. The Biobus is a processing lab and will be collecting some blood samples after the morning tea from participants for the ASPREE Healthy Aging Biobank. The Biobank processes then stores blood samples from healthy older people which researches will test for many different disease traits or predictors of older onset diseases. In the future these samples may underpin discoveries that improve disease detection and treatment.
The ASPREE study is being funded by the US National Institute on Aging, with funding support also received from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Victorian Cancer Agency (VCA).
Recruitment into the study is expected to continue until mid 2013.
For more information on how to participate in the ASPREE study go to www.aspree.org, call 1800 728 745 or email aspree@monash.edu.

Celebration of Remembrance

Each year Ballarat Hospice and Gandarra invite families, friends, carers and volunteers to share in a Celebration of Remembrance.
Remembering, reflecting, nostalgia and narratives about the life of a person who has died keep the memories of that person alive – it is strongly encouraged by the “Continuing Bonds” grief theory – regardless of how long ago the death occurred.
Bill Weidner, Bereavement Co-ordinator at Ballarat Hospice Care said that sharing stories of loved ones is beneficial to those who grieve.
“Stories let others know of the unique footprint the person who died created in life. Stories demonstrate how much better our lives are because that person lived, the legacies they provided for us and the learning they enriched us with to carry on in their absence – a form of meaning and purpose,” Bill said.
At this year’s remembrance ceremony two people whose partners have died, who used the services of Ballarat Hospice Care and Gandarra, will share their stories of how they have journeyed following the death of their respective partners.
Tim Knight and Heather Tellis will speak of their survival, their rehabilitation, the importance of remembering, healthy grieving, hope and optimism by letting us know what each of their respective spouses left as their legacy, their footprint.
This year’s service is taking place at the Creswick Nursery. It is the epitome of peace, serenity and tranquillity. Parks Victoria is providing the venue, with its many opportunities to wander and reflect, in a tranquil environment, on the ongoing wonder of nature.
Community members who would like to remember a loved one who has died are invited to attend the service. Those who are remembered don’t have to have been patients of Hospice or Gandarra.
People wishing to attend the service should contact Ballarat Hospice Care at 5333 1118 and are encouraged to bring their own chair and dress for the weather of the day – it is an outdoor function.
The Rotary Club of Ballarat South is providing a sausage sizzle as a fundraiser.
Date: Saturday 8th. October
Venue: Creswick Nursery, Midland Highway, 600 metres from Creswick-Clunes Rd. corner – turn right into Sawpit Rd.
Time: Midday

Calling all Ballarat women! Are you ready for a Girls Night In?

Throughout October, Cancer Council Victoria is encouraging women in Ballarat to register to host a Girls Night In. The premise is simple – just get the girls round for a night in and donate what you would’ve spent on a night out. All funds raised will go towards Cancer Council Victoria’s research, prevention programs and support services for women’s cancers.
84 women in Ballarat have already registered to host a Girls Night In, but Cancer Council Victoria is calling for more Ballarat women to get the girls together this October to help raise over $1.3 million to support the
4,500 Victorian women fighting breast and gynaecological cancers this year.
Barbara Fernandez, spokesperson for Cancer Council Victoria says, “In 2010, 77 Ballarat women registered to host a Girls Night In, raising an impressive $19,374 in the region. Their fundraising contributed to the overall $1.3 million raised in Victoria, which was channelled into women’s cancer projects and funding for the Cancer Council Helpline (13 11 20). Last year we helped 302 Ballarat women who called the helpline, so by registering your Girls Night In event, your fundraising will have a direct impact on the lives of local women facing cancer”.
Girls Night In also aims to educate women on what they can do to reduce their cancer risk. “Prevention is the best form of defence and there are many simple things women can do to reduce their risk of cancer, such as maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and limiting alcohol intake,” says Fernandez.
“Early detection is also crucial to beating cancer and it’s therefore really important to take advantage of the screening programs that are available in Victoria. For example, we know that regular Pap tests can prevent around 90% of cervical cancers, but nine out of 10 women diagnosed with cervical cancer have not had regular screening. To protect themselves against the disease, it’s essential that all women aged between 18 and 70 who have been sexually active have a Pap test every two years. We really hope that Girls Night In prompts women to encourage regular cancer screenings amongst their girlfriends”.
For further information or to register, please visit www.girlsnightin.com.au or call 1300 65 65 85.

Ambulance Victoria Online

Renew your membership today:  Call 1300 366 141 or visit:
www.ambulance.vic.gov.au
The Website offers members access to a greater variety of information such as:

• frequently asked questions
• first aid information
• short stories from members who have used services
• careers with Ambulance Victoria
• information on community education, drug education and schools programs

Scope

Scope is a not-for-profit organisation providing disability services throughout Victoria to thousands of children and adults with physical and multiple disabilities. Scope was formerly known as the Spastic Society of Victoria.
To make a donation, source information or become a member and show your support contact 1800 815 768
Or checkout their website:  www.scopevic.org.au

New Ballarat Blood Donor Centre

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service is very excited to announce that their new Ballarat Donor Centre is opening in August 2010. Located at: 601-603 La Trobe Street, Ballarat
Opening hours:  Monday 1.30pm-7pm, Tuesday 9.30am-7.30pm, Wednesday 9.30am-7.30pm, Thursday 9.30am-6pm, Friday 7.30am-2.30pm
Do something special.  Give blood.  Call 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au

DASSI – Bringing Care Home

DASSI is an organisation that provides care and support with day-to-day living for people with disabilities all over Victoria.
DASSI has won a statewide award – Special Commendation in the Victorian Government’s Fair and Flexible Employer Recognition Awards.  This award follows on from the Special Commendation won by DASSI in the National Work Life Balance Awards in Canberra earlier this year.
In the Ballarat region, DASSI meets the special needs of 35 clients.  A workforce of 70 carers enjoys the benefits of DASSI’s flexible and family-friendly policies.
Ballarat Regional Manager – Bernadette Irvin Phone:  5332 4611 1300 032 774 Web:  www.dassi.com.au

HACC Telelink Program

Central Highlands & Grampians HACC Social Support/Telelink Program:
Virgie Hocking
Phone:  5332 5941

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