Sock it to Sarcoma! WA Shines a light…
Perth based sarcoma not for profit, Sock it to Sarcoma has recently completed the fourth highly successful year of their “Shine a light” on sarcoma light show.
June 29 to July 5, marked Sarcoma Awareness Week in Western Australia, and specially chosen landmarks around the metropolitan areas and regional centres of WA landmarks were used to Shine a Light On Sarcoma. – by lighting up in the colours of Sock it to sarcoma (SITS!).
WA Sarcoma Awareness week each year sees Sock it to sarcoma! create a lasting community awareness for this sinister cancer, with this spectacular light show, and in doing so, potentially saving lives.
To learn more about the outstanding work being done by SITS! please visit their website at https://www.sockittosarcoma.org.au/
East coast billboard campaign
We are live!
Earlier this week, the CRBF #sarcomafootprint digital billboards launched at multiple sites in Brisbane, Melbourne, Gold Coast, and Sydney!
We have taken our awareness campaign, during the heart of sarcoma awareness month, to the streets of key Australian cities, thanks to the generosity of @QMS_media who donated this campaign in loving memory of Daniel Allchin, who lost his life to sarcoma in 2018.
We extend our gratitude to the remarkable team at QMS media, the wonderful Victoria Ellison, and the inspiring Allchin family, who each made this campaign possible. Also, huge thanks to Jordan Laing for putting the #sarcomafootprint campaign together, and to @jludemanncreative for designing the billboards.
Keep your eyes peeled when you’re driving around!
CRBF Sarcoma Awareness Month
Sarcoma Awareness Month
CRBF Press Release
July is Sarcoma Awareness Month, and the Cooper Rice-Brading Foundation (CRBF) has once again joined the global initiative to raise awareness of sarcoma, a cancer that sadly shatters the lives of far too many patients and families.
Each year, CRBF funds innovative research leading to a cure, and supports sarcoma patients from diagnosis throughout treatment and beyond. Throughout July, the Foundation’s efforts to spread sarcoma awareness are accelerated.
Sarcoma can affect all ages, but hits our young disproportionately hard. Of all childhood cancers, one in five is a sarcoma, and survival outcomes remain amongst the worst of all childhood cancers. Yet, sarcoma receives less than one per cent of total cancer funding.
This July, the Foundation is calling upon anyone impacted by sarcoma, to upload the #sarcomafootprint image to social media, which can be found on the CRBF Instagram (@crbfoundation) and Facebook pages, to highlight sarcoma’s devastating footprint.
With each step forward, with time, and with carefully targeted funding and research, we can all fight sarcoma together and help to find a cure.
CRBF Chairman, Robert Beech-Jones said the Foundation is hoping to spread an important message during Sarcoma Awareness Month.
“It’s been an incredibly tough start to the year for all Australians, however, for some it’s been made even worse with the sarcoma diagnosis of a family member or friend. or the devastating passing of a loved one,” Beech-Jones said.
“Despite the outstanding efforts of many in the sarcoma community, survival outcomes and treatment options have not changed significantly in almost 40 years, while other cancers are making important inroads into finding a cure.
“Through more funding and research, we’re aiming to facilitate an eventual cure for sarcoma and to stop lives being cut short.
“We understand how difficult 2020 has been for most, but unfortunately cancer doesn’t slow during times of hardship, and each day more young people are being diagnosed with sarcoma.
“We’re hoping we can continue to help raise awareness of sarcoma, and to ensure more people are informed of its prevalence and severity.
“Please join us in using #sarcomafootprint this July by uploading a photo of the CRBF footprint, if you or someone you know has been impacted by sarcoma.”
For those living in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Gold Coast, keep an eye out for CRBF digital billboards on major roads promoting sarcoma awareness messages from July 6. The billboards were kindly donated to CRBF by QMS media, on behalf of Daniel’s Race for a Cure conducted by the Alchin family, in memory of Daniel Alchin.
To launch Global Sarcoma Awareness Month, CRBF, together with their West Australian counterpart, Sock it to Sarcoma!, have worked collaboratively to produce the podcast series: Let’s Talk About Sarcoma. Hosted by Cathrine Mahoney and Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, the podcast will be available through Apple podcasts, or at crbf.org.au, with episodes set to be released on July 3. This series will cover the expected, the unexpected and everything in between, of a sarcoma diagnosis. Patients, families, clinicians and researchers will provide the raw and honest narrative.
Cooper Rice-Brading sadly lost his brave fight against bone cancer in 2017, just 18 months after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma.
Prior to his passing, Cooper incepted the Cooper Rice-Brading Foundation to raise much needed funding for research into sarcoma, with the vision of improved survival outcomes and treatment options for all sarcoma patients.
‘Let’s Talk About Sarcoma’ Podcast
In a collaboration to mark global awareness month, Sock it to Sarcoma and the Cooper Rice-Brading Foundation will host a series of free podcasts, to provide sarcoma patients and their families with a reliable resource from diagnosis to treatment and beyond. This series will be hosted by popular Sydney media identity, Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli and seasoned podcast presenter Cathrine Mahoney, creator of “So I quit my day job”.
In episode one we discuss how Sock it to Sarcoma and CRBF were incepted, and why, the need for what we do, our aims, and the current research we are funding. Special guest for the episode will be Dr Densie Caruso, CEO of the Australia New Zealand Sarcoma Association, discussing sarcoma. What it is, symptoms, and the importance of seeking professional advice, via a sarcoma specialist multi-disciplinary team.
Episode two will be broken into three parts, and will see patients from a cross section of sexes, age groups, and differing sarcoma subtypes, speaking about their experience from the moment they were symptomatic, diagnosis, treatment and beyond. This will be a raw account of each patient’s journey, with a special section on fertility and survivorship.
Episode three will see the spotlight shone on the families, friends, siblings and those who have tragically lost a loved one to sarcoma. This will provide a sensitive insight into managing the family dynamic leading up to diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond. It will also explore grief, and the dire impact of losing a loved one to this cancer.
Episode four sees us finishing on a very positive note, when we hear from our leading researchers, clinicians, and a psycho-social researcher, covering a myriad of topics, which will provide hope for the future for all sarcoma patients.
Sarcoma & Covid 19 Govt guidelines
Information for people with cancer about COVID-19
Whether you have cancer currently, had cancer in the past, or are caring for a loved one with cancer, the situation may be more challenging than usual. Your treatment team and all those working in cancer support and care, are working as hard as we can to make sure that you receive the best treatment and outcomes possible.
People with compromised immune systems or pre-existing medical conditions, including cancer, may be at increased risk of contracting coronavirus (COVID-19) and increased risk of more severe infection.
Everyone should practice good hygiene to protect against infection, including people who have had cancer
Good hygiene includes:
- washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using alcohol-based hand sanitiser
- using a tissue and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
- avoiding close contact with others, such as touching
- avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
People at increased risk of getting sick from COVID-19, such as people receiving treatment for cancer, and people living with metastatic cancer
As well as practising good hygiene:
- ensure you have adequate prescription and over-the-counter medications
- try to keep space between yourself and others
- when you go out in public, avoid crowds, stay away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds, or using alcohol-based hand sanitiser
- avoid non-essential travel.
If there is a COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible to further reduce your risk of being exposed.
For family, friends and carers of people at increased risk of getting sick from COVID-19
Follow advice for good hygiene to protect against infection, including:
- washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using alcohol-based hand sanitiser for at least 20 seconds, or using alcohol-based hand sanitiser
- using a tissue and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
- avoiding close contact with others, such as touching
- avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Avoiding contact with people in the community who are unwell.
There is no vaccine for COVID-19 yet. However, this year, it is important to have your influenza vaccination as early in the flu season as possible.
Useful COVID-19 information links
Current status on COVID-19 in Australia – Department of Health (Australia)
COVID-19 Consumer messaging kit – HealthDirect’s answers to questions and symptom checker
Advice for the public about COVID-19- World Health Organization
Coronavirus Health Information Line
Call this line if you are seeking information on novel coronavirus. The line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Phone: 1800 020 080
The Cancer Council Helpline
Cancer Council is a free, confidential telephone information and support service run by Cancer Councils in each state and territory. Call if you have a question about cancer, or if you’re seeking emotional or practical support.
Phone: 13 11 20
Follow us on Twitter @CancerAustralia to get news and updates.
Cancer Australia information hub about COVID-19 and cancer
Cancer Australia has released an Information about cancer and COVID-19 website hub, providing advice and information for Australians affected by cancer and a repository of up-to-date, evidence-based resources and guidance for health professionals and researchers from Australian and international organisations in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The website will be updated as new information is released.
Sydney University Great Hall – Speech
Great people doing great things…
August of 2019 saw Swans rising star Nick Blakey shining a light on sarcoma in memory of Cooper, who was his team mate and, at times, his on-field adversary. Nick did this by attending a training session at the East Sydney Bulldogs home ground at Trumper Park, a ground that holds so many memories of Nick and Cooper fiercely contesting the AFL ball during their junior years. In Nick and Coop’s teams over the years were many other young keen players, including Jack Weinert and his younger brother Tom, who were overseen as coach by their Dad, former Sydney Swans Chairman & President Peter Weinert, a quiet and understated man who had volunteered his time to coach the boys.
Peter contacted CRBF after he saw the article published on Nick’s visit, writing the following: “By going to Trumper Oval when Nick did, it resulted in an article in the paper which may attract people such as me, who may like to contribute even in a very small way initially, to the incredibly important cause you are now involved in”. Peter also shared a precious photo from those Easts Bulldogs days, and in an unexpected twist was pictured standing side by side with Cooper in a team photo which included his son Jack, as it turns out, he was Cooper’s original coach at Trumper (pictured).
By means of background, Peter, when Chairman and one of the private owners of the Club, played a leading role in the survival of the Sydney Swans in Sydney. In 1992 he led the fight to save the Swans from extinction in Sydney, together with the great support of Mike Willlesee and Craig Kimberley after several years of on field turmoil and potential financial ruin. Along with Basil Sellers and John Gerahty, overseas based Owners also providing financial support, these five were inducted into the Swans Hall of Fame in 2015 under the Heritage Listing as “True Believers”.
In 1996, less than four years after the club faced extinction, the Sydney Swans played in their first AFL Grand Final under the then revitalised new Club administration, and Peter along with his co-Owners were permanently etched in Swans Club history. After eventually serving as the No. 1 Ticket Holder for 11 years Peter became a Patron of the Swans, and it is indeed fitting the Player’s Club Lounge at the SCG bears his name.
Through Peter’s understated generosity, together with Nick’s willingness to volunteer his time to memorialise his former team mate at Trumper Oval, Peter now holds the distinction of being our largest individual donor directly supporting clinical research into sarcoma.
It is difficult indeed to articulate our thanks to Nick and to Peter for their thoughtfulness, selflessness and generosity.
National Sarcoma Awareness Campaign
Studio 10: Running for a reason