Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that:

(a) October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that Monday, 26 October 2015 is Pink Ribbon Day; and

(b) breast cancer remains the most common cancer in Australian women and the second most common cancer to cause death in Australian women;

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a) support Breast Cancer Awareness Month;

(b) promote early detection; and

(c) encourage women, especially women aged 50 to 74 years, to have a mammogram every two years; and

(3) acknowledges:

(a) the invaluable work done by the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia, especially in supporting important research into treatment and a cure;

(b) the fundraising efforts of the broader community and pays tribute to the significant contribution the Australian public makes to the overall fundraising effort; and

(c) the heroic efforts of the women, men and their families who have experienced the breast cancer journey.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With breast cancer remaining the most common cancer diagnosis amongst women and one that affects men also, albeit to a lesser extent, it is important that we continue to raise awareness about this prevalent disease.

As the co-convenor of the parliamentary friendship group for raising breast cancer awareness, I have very much pursued this cause throughout my entire parliamentary career. In this time I have met some of the most amazing people, who are totally dedicated to raising awareness, improving treatment and eventually finding a cure. I am also constantly inspired by the women, men and families who have been through the breast cancer journey, people who have risen to the challenge and used their experience to help and support others. I am also inspired by the fundraising, advocacy and research efforts of the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia and the Australian public in general, and I want to sincerely thank them for all their efforts.

Since October was declared Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, giving Pink Ribbon Day an iconic global recognition and spurring an entire fundraising and awareness industry branded by the symbolic pink woman, taking in many forms, such as the morning teas, and also including a diversity of food retailers who have participated in the fundraising efforts. Retailers from Bakers Delight to Mount Franklin water and countless other household item brands are allocating a portion of their sales to breast cancer research. It is only through action that positive change can occur. The survival rates of breast cancer have increased and, undoubtedly, the Australian community has played a significant role in making this possible, through promoting awareness and raising funds.

One passionate advocate who contributed a great deal to this cause was my dear friend, Roz Hill. Roz passed away earlier this year, on 26 February, after a decades-long battle with breast cancer—something which she dedicated most of her life to raising awareness about, especially for young people. Roz would have turned 70 last week on 8 October. She was a courageous woman, a quiet achiever who had a very matter-of-fact, no-nonsense approach to life. In one of her last texts to me, she said:

Hi ladies, hope u both had a super Christmas and New Year. Sadly my news is not the best but inevitable I suppose! I have been taken off all treatment and given 2 to 6 months and now placed under Palliative care. Still have my mobile handy and loved getting your messages on it or facebook.

Roz was first diagnosed with breast cancer at 29 years of age, after she had already lost both her parents to cancer. The loss of her parents and her own experience propelled Roz into advocacy work. Roz founded the Young Adults Program known as YAP, a not-for-profit organisation. Roz, with her son the late Peter Hill, who also died from cancer, developed the YAP app to inform young people about breast cancer and to encourage them, male and female alike, to conduct monthly breast examinations. Roz was an inspiration. She did not want attention or commendation; she wanted to make a difference, and that she did. I first met Roz in 2002 when she was campaigning at Parliament House to have breast prostheses put on the Medicare rebate for those women who had to have mastectomies. This passionate advocacy continued until she passed away.

Roz's main focus was promoting early detection and raising awareness amongst young people, especially men. The YAP app provided a self-examination guide for both males and females. It is important to acknowledge that breast cancer knows no gender. Both men and women can be diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is approximately 100 times more common in women than it is in men, which is why it is widely considered a woman's disease. It is this perception that breast cancer is solely a woman's disease that ultimately impacts on late detection in men, because men frequently do not consider that their symptoms could be a sign of breast cancer, resulting in late diagnosis. Late diagnosis has a huge impact on survival rates. Indeed, men's survival rates are much lower. Roz introduced me to her American friend, Will Roth, a breast cancer survivor who has now taken the awareness and fundraising cause for YAP to the United States. I want to acknowledge Will, and thank him for continuing Roz's work. Will is a very active advocate and I want to quote him:

Yapstuff is creating a generation of people aware breast cancer knows no gender. All people have the same breast tissue (some more than others) but all are subject to risks of breast cancer.

So all power to Will's grassroots fundraising efforts and campaigning, especially the much-loved Busking for Boobs. I also want to thank Sue Purnell, a close friend of Roz Hill's who now heads the YAP program, and I want to say: Sue, yes; we all miss her. (Time expired)

Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Calwell for bringing this motion to the House, particularly with the month of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month and next Monday being Pink Ribbon Day. Most of us are aware of the devastating impact breast cancer has on our community, and most would know a friend, a loved one, or a community member impacted by this devastating disease. We all have a role to play in minimising its impact.

Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers for Australian women and the second-most common cause of cancer death in Australian women. On the Central Coast, latest figures indicate that breast cancer is just short of 12 per cent of all cancer cases. This is the second-highest, behind prostate cancer, which is closer to 16 per cent. I join with my colleagues in supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, in doing so, encourage women to recognise the successful remission cases as a result of early detection. I also acknowledge that men can be impacted by this disease. Early detection significantly increases survival rates, with one in eight women developing breast cancer in their lifetime. So it is important that women undergo mammograms and ultrasounds. Women aged between 50 and 74 in particular are encouraged to undergo a mammogram and ultrasound every two years. In highlighting the importance of mammograms for this age group, I do note that BreastScreen NSW provide free mammograms to women aged between 50 and 69.

The fight against breast cancer is one that is coordinated nationally and implemented locally, and a number of charities have become household names in raising awareness of breast cancer. One such organisation is the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The National Breast Cancer Foundation is the leading community-funded organisation in Australia raising money for research into the prevention and cure of breast cancer, and this group has delivered a number of well-publicised research projects in recent years. Since its establishment in 1994, the National Breast Cancer Foundation has awarded over $155 million to over 400 research projects Australia-wide.

Today's motion also acknowledges the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia. This organisation was also established in 1994, as the fundraising and education section of the Australia and New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group. The Breast Cancer Institute of Australia reflect proudly on their achievements with their mention that 'more women survive breast cancer today than ever before'. Specifically, the 30 per cent decline in deaths from breast cancer over the previous 20 years is a huge achievement.

Research is of course a huge component of combating breast cancer in our community. However, fundraising efforts by a number of organisations also play a key role. To this end, the National Breast Cancer Foundation are currently running their 'Real Men Wear Pink' campaign—and congratulations to all the men proudly supporting this initiative by wearing bright pink work gear. Over a quarter of a million dollars has been raised so far, with the foundation hoping to reach half a million dollars by the end of the campaign.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation are joined in their fundraising efforts by the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia. The institute holds a number of ongoing fundraising initiatives, including assistance to host workplace or community morning teas where small donations are made, as well as a Mother's Day Research Appeal. The Mother's Day Research Appeal provides participants with Mother's Day cards in either physical or email form, and the purchase of the cards assists in the fundraising efforts of the institute.

The broader community also play a huge role in assisting fundraising efforts for research as well as care of breast cancer patients. For many years I have been actively supporting breast cancer awareness and research fundraising activities within my community. In my electorate of Dobell, our community generously undertakes and supports numerous fundraising activities to support women and men afflicted with breast cancer. At the end of this week, the pink tractor will be arriving on the Central Coast to mark the event, and a fundraising event is being held at The Entrance, with the NRL community taking a prominent role.

Further south on the coast, Stacey Saul and her amazing committee have organised a Halloween themed Cancer Council pink ribbon event. Money raised will go to women with breast and gynaecological cancer on the Central Coast. Tickets for this event alone have already taken them to $10,000. Thank you to the local businesses who have donated around $5,000 in sponsorship and other donations. Whilst the event is not being held in my electorate of Dobell, members of the Dobell community will benefit from the funds raised.

Congratulations to everyone who is involved in breast cancer awareness. I congratulate you all on your efforts.

Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, I would like to congratulate the member for Calwell on bringing this motion to the House. She has been a longstanding advocate of breast cancer awareness within this parliament. She has international connections in relation to breast cancer, not just within Australia, so there could be no person more important in this parliament to raise this issue than the member for Calwell.

As set out in the motion, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and members on both sides of the parliament support that, with 26 October being Pink Ribbon Day. Despite all the efforts, despite all the research, breast cancer still remains one of the most significant cancers in Australia and is the second largest killer of women. We must continue to raise awareness of breast cancer. We must all support this awareness month, promote early detection and encourage women between the ages of 50 and 74 to have mammograms. They are the core group that we are encouraging to have mammograms. But, once you turn 74, you should not cease having a mammogram; it is just that you do not get the usual reminders. I encourage women that are over the age of 74 to continue to have mammograms.

The support for women that are undergoing testing, and who are actually diagnosed with breast cancer, is much better than it used to be. I had an experience myself where I had to have a second mammogram. All I thought was that, because I had moved house, I had been called to do it again. When I went in to have that second mammogram I was greeted by a consultant who told me that she was my support person for that day. When you go in, you are supported through the whole process. You have an ultrasound—and that is where it finished with me—but, if it is identified that there is a lump, you then have a lumpectomy to have it checked. From there, if it is found that you do have breast cancer, the support you are given throughout that day continues.

In the Hunter we are very fortunate to have Professor John Forbes. He has been heading up the Australia and New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group. It is one of the most successful and respected, and longest established, breast cancer research groups in the world. It has been going for more than 35 years. Each year, I hold a breast cancer morning tea, and Professor Forbes has come along on many occasions and spoken to women about the need to have regular checks and what to look for, and settled the concerns of many women who might have a family history of breast cancer. As well as being a leading academic and a person that heads up trials, he has that common touch where he goes and talks to groups of women in a community setting. He was awarded an AM and he richly deserved it.

My breast cancer morning tea this year is on 31 October and it will be held at the Belmont Bowling Club. We will have Paula from the Breast Cancer Foundation in attendance. We will have a speaker from the Breast Cancer Trials Group. As well as that, we are going to have a little bit of fun. We are going to have a fashion parade; Uproar fashion will be presenting their latest range. The wonderful Carolyn Bear, who produced a number of bracelets that members of this House wore in relation to ovarian cancer, will be up there supporting breast cancer.

We must never forget that women with breast cancer need support. We must never forget that early detection is the most successful treatment for this cancer— (Time expired)

Warren Entsch (Leichhardt, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What an outstanding contribution. I also congratulate the member for Calwell on her initiative in bringing forward this motion. I certainly appreciate the opportunity today to add my voice in support of the motion. There is no doubt that breast cancer is an insidious killer that is widespread in our communities. In Australia, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and seven women will die from breast cancer every day. In Queensland, this year alone almost 4,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer or gynaecological cancer, and more than 750 will die from these women's cancers.

It is the personal stories of the mothers, the grandmothers, the aunts, the daughters, the granddaughters, nieces and the female friends and colleagues that sadly bring these statistics to life. My next-door neighbour had both breasts removed in what has been a terrible journey for her. My neighbour across the street is undergoing treatment for breast cancer at the moment, and my long-time friend in Cooktown survived breast cancer but has had a breast removed. It just goes to show that it can strike anywhere and that it is far more prevalent in our community than you might think.

Fortunately, there is a weapon of mass destruction, if you like, in the battle against breast cancer and women's cancers. Together, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Pink Ribbon Day are painting the town pink in their efforts to raise awareness about women's cancers, promote early detection, fund vital cancer research and support women undergoing a cancer journey.

The Far North Queensland community always impresses me with how the people come together to help those in need, and this month a whole range of activities and fundraisers are taking place. On 10 October, the Pink in the Tropics breast cancer support group held a breakfast buffet at Port Douglas supported by about 80 locals and many Port Douglas traders. The funds raised will go towards information packs and useful items for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. The Walk for Women's Cancer will kick off in Cairns this Sunday morning, where women of all ages—and, of course, men—are invited to don a quirky pink outfit and take part in the fun walk and raise vital funds to help beat these women's cancers. On 28 October, the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns will host a Pink Ribbon event with a breakfast, door prizes and guest speakers. There will also be a reflection room where people can remember loved ones lost to cancer, or simply reflect on what cancer means to them.

In the Northern Peninsula Area, the charity Jog for Jugs is holding its second fundraising fun run, finishing at Pajinka, which is right up on the far northern tip of the Australian landmass. This year's event is a non-competitive beach jog for all ages, supporting the Breast Cancer Network Australia and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. I had the pleasure of flying back to Cairns from Horn Island in the Torres Strait on QantasLink a couple of weeks ago with an all female crew. The pilots were wearing pink epaulettes as part of the #weflypink campaign in support of breast cancer awareness and research. Money was raised through the crews to contribute to this charity. What a great initiative—a big thumbs up to QantasLink and the Captain Alana Curtin, First Officer Shelly Groves and flight attendants Janaye and Juliana for their participation.

It is also not too late to volunteer to help the Cancer Council Queensland sell Pink Ribbon merchandise from 22 to 26 October. You can volunteer as an individual or in a group, such as with friends and work colleagues, and you can even get your school involved. If you cannot volunteer then why not order a box of merchandise and sell it at your workplace? Full details of these events and fundraising activities are on my website and I encourage people to check them out.

Finally, I would like to pay full credit to those who have been actively involved in these campaigns. They are doing a fabulous job in raising awareness and much-needed funds. The money raised will go towards critical research, the promotion of preventative activities and providing meaningful support to people who are going through the cancer journey. I also congratulate the corporate partners who have come on board, raising the amount of awareness and exposure to another level. There is much that we can take out of the pink campaign when it comes to building awareness for a whole range of men's health challenges, in particular prostate and testicular cancers. I commend the motion.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I congratulate the member for Leichhardt for his discussion on this very pertinent issue, and the member for Calwell for bringing this motion before the House. Tragically, 42 Australians are diagnosed with breast cancer every day. More tragically, seven Australians die every day as a result of breast cancer. I am sure there is not a person in this parliament who has not been touched by this disease. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed among women, and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths amongst women.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Breast Cancer Institute do an exceptional job supporting clinical research of treatments, raising awareness about breast cancer risks, encouraging early detection and supporting breast cancer survivors, their families and carers. Cancer is an insidious killer in our community and it will eventually be beaten through the sort of extensive research which is funded because of the work of these organisations.

I would also like to mention at this point the contribution of my friend Maxine Morand, who recently retired her position as the CEO of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Maxine is known to many people in my electorate as the former state member for Mount Waverley, which sits within my electorate of Chisholm. I have known Maxine for many years. Maxine was also Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development in the Victorian government led by John Brumby. She previously worked for the Cancer Council of Australia and is a nurse by training. Maxine is also a breast cancer survivor herself. After she left parliament, not of her own choosing, she thought she would have a holiday—but no, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the end of that she took on the challenging role of CEO of the Breast Cancer Foundation in November 2011. She did so after undergoing her treatment, to give back from her experiences both in the state government and in research and, more importantly, as a survivor. I thank Maxine for the role that she undertook there, because it was a great foundation—Lyn Swinburne did a phenomenal job and is a tireless worker in this area—but Maxine brought much to it. I, as I said, have been touched by the ravages of breast cancer—not personally but, sadly, because I lost my mother-in-law to it at the tender age of 65. She had it, was treated and was fine but got one of those insidious secondaries in a lung and did not survive. She only met one of her many beautiful grandchildren. She died too soon.

While the importance of finding a cure for breast cancer and doing everything we can to prevent it cannot be undervalued, there is also an enormous amount of work that needs to be done to support people diagnosed with breast cancer and those who have survived the illness. A large number of organisations devote their energies to supporting these women and men and their families. My electorate is home to an amazing organisation called Knitted Knockers Australia, which was co-founded by Cheryl Webster at the Burwood Neighbourhood House. Knitted Knockers is a wonderful organisation that has grown out of a community project. It has become a national operation that supports women after they have had a mastectomy by providing free knitted 'knockers'. That is right—free knitted implants. Knitted Knockers Australia's motto is 'Communities helping women'. Inspired by Knitted Knockers in the United States, where it began, the Australian organisation now has over 7,000 registered volunteer knitters. Each is provided with a kit that includes everything they need to make a knitted breast prosthesis. The kit includes a ball of 100 per cent cotton, hobby filler and the knitting pattern. They come in various shapes and sizes, as do women's breasts. These kits are produced and distributed by Knitted Knockers head office out of the Burwood Neighbourhood House and distributed to a growing network of smaller branches across Australia—indeed, you might be surprised to find that there is one in your electorate—that supply them to knitting volunteers. The volunteers return the completed prostheses to the head office or the local branch. They are then distributed free to registered prosthesis recipients. There is a rigorous production and delivery schedule, with all products going through a national quality control check before they are provided for free to registered recipients. The only cost is postage.

There are many issues facing women who undergo a mastectomy, including issues of self-esteem and self-consciousness. There is also a three- to six-month wait time before silicone prostheses can be fitted after surgery. For many women a silicone prosthesis, or reconstructive surgery, is simply too expensive, and many find the prostheses too heavy or too hot to deal with. Knitted Knockers provide an amazing selection. They are very hygienic, very soft and very serviceable. They are light and made of natural fibre. This is a community activity inspired by individuals who have also been touched by this insidious disease. Unsurprisingly there is a very high demand: over 3,500 prostheses have already been given out in 12 months alone, and the biggest issue is keeping up with demand. I congratulate Cheryl Webster and Julie Weaver, who have founded this amazing group that is providing so much emotional support to women in need in my community.

Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion, as in Cowan and all the way round this country this is unfortunately a very big issue for Australian women and their families. Before speaking specifically about breast cancer awareness, I note that the reality is that the most commonly diagnosed cancers, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, are prostate cancer, followed by bowel cancer, then breast cancer, melanoma and lung cancer. Although there are more than 100 different types of cancers, these five most common types account for 60 per cent of all cancers. It is hard to see a positive side to these issues but it is true that progress is being made.

When I think of this form of cancer, I think it is important to acknowledge that breast cancer awareness and its advocates have achieved great progress in that awareness, and I say that about all the forms of cancer. So many more people are talking about cancer and contributing towards fundraising for research. I really do believe that it has been the campaigns regarding breast cancer awareness that have led the way in the conversation about cancers. Really, the legacy of Jane McGrath and our cricketers wearing pink together with Pink Ribbon Day demonstrate the high level of awareness that has been achieved for breast cancer; also that success has encouraged so many more to talk about the other forms of cancer. Most Australians would now know that about one per cent of breast cancer diagnoses occur among men, and that would not have been the case before.

I will go now to the facts that surround breast cancer, and it is sobering. The statistics show that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Worse again is that seven women a day in Australia die from breast cancer. Again, when I think of such figures, the impact on families is profound. Across the country, these figures mean that in this year there are expected to be 15,600 women diagnosed with breast cancer and it is predicted that in 2020 the figure will be 17,210—or 47 a day. On a personal level, I am grateful that there is, to the best of my knowledge, no history of this type of cancer in my family. Sadly, that is not the case for many other families; therefore, the need for research must always be there.

In preparing for this speech, I have become better informed myself. I know that the strongest risk factors are increasing age, with more than two-thirds of breast cancer cases occurring in women aged between 40 and 69 years. The figures also underline that Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer have an 89 per cent chance of surviving five years after diagnosis, and that is certainly good news. This motion is about awareness and now more women survive breast cancer because of earlier detection through regular mammograms and, of course, the developments and improvements of treatments.

With regard to the awareness of the disease, most Australians would be able to say that breast cancer is in fact a malignant tumour that originates in the cells of the breast. These cells grow abnormally and multiply, developing into cancerous growths and can spread or metastasise to other areas of the body. There are, of course, different forms of breast cancer. There are several types and subtypes. The main types are non-invasive breast cancers, which are contained within the milk ducts or lobules in the breast. Invasive breast cancers are cancers that grow in the normal, healthy breast tissue, the nipples and even in the blood vessels. These types often spread to the lymph nodes and elsewhere around the body, as in the insidious stage 4 or advanced breast cancer.

Apart from early detection, the other point I will make in conclusion is the reduction of risk. Although age and, to a lesser degree, family history are the main risk factors, it is generally considered that the reduction of alcohol intake is beneficial. Research says that there is a strong link and that no more than two standard drinks a day is recommended. Maintaining a healthy weight throughout one's life is also recommended. Research also shows that even moderate exercise is beneficial in the reduction of the risk. Even breastfeeding for the first three months is considered to be a way to reduce the risk. Finally, it is recommended that you have five serves of vegetables and two of fruit a day. Of course, that should be everyone's aim, not only with regard to the scourge of breast cancer.

Certainly from my reading on this motion, I have found the figures for the number of women diagnosed each year and those who lose the fight each year disturbing. I am, however, encouraged by the profile and level of awareness that does already exist. Good research and better understanding of the risk factors allow more people to act to reduce the threat of breast cancer and to achieve early detection. That is certainly good news. There is, however, no time for complacency and I certainly support the great work of the National Breast Cancer Foundation and all those dedicated to the eradication of deaths from breast cancer by 2030.

Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

October is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I thank my colleague the member for Calwell Ms Maria Vamvakinou for raising this very important issue in the chamber today. We all know somebody who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The prevalence of this invasive condition has swept the country at an alarming rate and, from the records over the last three decades, affects people of all ages and, surprisingly, all genders. While the condition is much less common in males, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among Australian women. On average, one in eight Australian females will develop breast cancer, and one in 37 females will die from breast cancer before turning 85 years of age. If you put that into a broader context, it means that more than 12,700 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year and more than 2,600 will lose their lives to this malignant disease.

In 2011 there were a little over 14,500 new cases of breast cancer. Of them, interestingly, 103 were males. This year the National Breast Cancer Foundation has estimated that there will be 15,740 new cases, with this figure expected to grow to over 17,000 by the year 2020. This disturbingly high number is not only indicative of the epidemic of breast cancer that is becoming very significant throughout our communities; it also points to the need to raise awareness to reduce the impact of breast cancer on Australian women—and men, for that matter—and particularly to assist their families.

While the cause of breast cancer is not necessarily fully understood at the moment, we do know that age is a significant factor associated with the development of this disease. According to the study conducted by Cancer Australia in 2008, more than half of breast cancers in Australian females were diagnosed between the ages of 50 and 69, one in eight were diagnosed in ages 70 and over, while just under one in four were diagnosed in women under the age of 50. The risk of developing breast cancer can clearly be seen to be age related; however, approximately five to 10 per cent of breast cancers are due to genetic mutations arising from very strong family histories.

I learnt much about this disease earlier this year when my mother, who is 86 years of age, found, through a mammogram, that she had a cancerous growth. We went through the issues of having a lumpectomy and radiation treatment. Notwithstanding that her identical twin sister had had her breasts removed some 40 years earlier, Mum thought that at 86 she was past that. She was just having a periodic mammogram when the cancer was revealed. This shows that simply having reached a significant age is not something that should be used as an excuse for avoiding the unpleasantness of a mammogram. Irrespective of age, we encourage women to regularly attend mammogram screening, because it is early diagnosis and treatment that enhances survival rates.

Since the introduction of mammographic screening programs through BreastScreen Australia, approximately 4,500 breast cancer cases have been diagnosed each and every year. This early intervention has certainly improved survival rates. Eighty-nine out of every 100 women diagnosed with breast cancer survive five or more years beyond diagnosis. That is a pretty significant number that shows that we are getting on top of it. But it is only through early intervention.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Breast Cancer Foundation and the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia for all their endeavours in supporting this important research and their efforts to find a cure for this insidious disease.

Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too rise to speak in favour of the motion that has been moved today by the member for Calwell. I want to take this opportunity to place on the record some of the amazing work that has been done in my electorate and in my community of Bendigo—not just for the women and the families affected by this disease, this cancer, but also what they are doing for women and families around the country. This is an important motion, and it is my privilege to stand here and speak to this motion today. Being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is an important time to put on the record not only the great work that Breast Cancer Australia does but also the great work that is going on in our communities and the great work that our health professionals provide to women and their families who find themselves in these circumstances.

What many may not know is that the Otis Foundation, a foundation that provides respite opportunities and quality care for women who are suffering from breast cancer, is based in my electorate. Its home is in Bendigo. The Otis Foundation was inspired by Judy Burley, who passed away at a very young age of breast cancer. She was 29 when she was diagnosed. She had a vision that she wanted to deliver places of peace, nurturing and comfort for those who were in similar circumstances. Otis, the name of the foundation and of the first home where women could go seeking an opportunity to have respite, is named after her much beloved puppy dog. So it is that local story that we all know too well.

The Otis Foundation provides retreats for anybody living with the challenges of breast cancer for a non-accommodation charge, and they currently have retreats in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. They provide time to relax, reconnect and regroup. Families, friends and partners are also welcome. I can remember speaking to a single mum about how important this was for her during her pre-operation and post-operation treatments and how important it was for her young family to be able to have that space just to escape, free of charge, to be able to reconnect, come together and help to really bond and share stories during this tough time.

The facts about breast cancer we have all heard during this debate. One in nine Australian women in their lifetime is at risk of developing breast cancer. The average age for the first diagnosis of breast cancer in women is 60 years of age, and that is why, as previous speakers have said, it is so critical that we have early testing and early support programs, early diagnosis for women and for their families who are dealing with the issue and the health-related issues associated with breast cancer.

What we are also learning though is that as time goes on more and more younger women are developing and are being diagnosed with breast cancer, including one woman and her family who I would like to highlight. They are part of the Otis Foundation's focus for 2015, which is called Kez's Hideaway. Kez's Hideaway is an amazing homestead that is being built by the Otis Foundation near Bendigo in memory of Kerri Gray. In March 2011, local builder Paul Gray lost his wife to breast cancer, and she was young. Kerri, or Kez as she was known, planted the seeds for Kez's Hideaway with Paul, telling him that he should do something for Otis and to perhaps build a home for the Otis Foundation, recalling fondly how important it was to have the time away together that they had when she was quite ill with breast cancer. Paul and generous land donors the Campbell family have teamed up with the Otis Foundation to start fundraising. The good news is the building of Kez's Hideaway is well under construction and will be complete this year.

This month, being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I would like to acknowledge not just the great work for Kez's Hideaway, but also the great work of the Otis Foundation, which is proudly at home in Bendigo. It is important that we not only tackle this disease and make sure there are resources for research but also, more importantly, that we make sure there are support services and great opportunities and respite services, which is what the Otis Foundation offers to women and their families from across Australia.

Debate adjourned.