This Victorian Government survey on cancer planning for the next 4 years is really valuable if it’s a big sample. Please take the time to do it. It’s open to all people affected by cancer.
“People affected by cancer, sector stakeholders and interested Victorians are invited to complete a survey on Engage Victoria to identify and prioritise opportunities to improve cancer outcomes for Victorians in the next plan.”
Click here to start the survey:
All over the world, during May, charities will be working to promote awareness of Bladder Cancer.
While we will have some programs for the entire month, we are focusing heavily on the first week, and we are asking you to help us by pushing out our two new Bladder Cancer awareness videos on your social media!
These two fifteen second ads will also appear on Channel 9 and Channel 10 in Australia during the first week of May (1st until the 7th)
PLEASE POST THESE LINKS ON ALL YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA
ON MONDAY 1st MAY!
PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND ASK THEM TO REPOST!
Imagine the impact we will have if we all do it together on Monday with reposts going all week?!!!
HELP US MAKE A BIG IMPACT TO REDUCE MORTALITY from bladder cancer.
Booklets, Posters, Procedure Sheets and more are available for you to download here: www.bladdercancer.org.au/bladder-cancer-resources/free-literature
All our awareness videos are here for you to post on Social Media, TikTok etc: www.bladdercancer.org.au/bladder-cancer-resources/bladder-cancer-awareness-videos
We have also taken 5,000 spots on freeway advertisement screens in Melbourne. Look out for our ads (don’t crash!) on Punt Rd, Mulgrave Freeway and the West Gate Freeway during the first week of May.
We spent all our money on these campaigns!
PLEASE DONATE here: https://www.bladdercancer.org.au/donations
Hi everyone,
We are a little early with our Autumn News so that we can remind you about the upcoming USANZ Convention in Melbourne (25 – 28 Feb).
Our charity, Australia’s leading charity for bladder cancer patients, is staffed by volunteers. Our team comprises patients, urologists and urology nurses. Our goal is to give all bladder cancer patients the best chance to learn about their disease and make better choices to survive.
Please support us by making a donation.
We have installed a New Patient Wizard on our web site in a simple Q&A format so it is easy for people to find the correct information.
Check it out on our home page.
USANZ & ANZUNS is at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from this Saturday February 25th – 28th. As usual we will have a stall loaded with Patient Guidebooks and Procedure Guides on hand for you to stock up. These are ideal for medical clinics and other health awareness purposes and will save lives. We will be giving away a guitar once again to a lucky attendee.
Learn more and register for USANZ Melbourne
Last year I met with other bladder cancer charities from around the world in Paris. There was discussion around the idea that a small amount of blood in urine (Haematuria) need not be investigated further and that only gross haematuria needs further investigation.
My view, as a patient who has lost their bladder, is that ALL haematuria needs investigation. If I had known the signs earlier (light pinkish pee) I would have acted sooner.
I know all medical people around the world are under pressure, but I urge everyone who has a concern about their urine colour to ask your GP for a simple dip stick urine test.
If blood is present – ask for a referral to a UROLOGIST!
All medical people are busy. You must drive your own health care.
If you are worried about anything, don’t delay, go see your doctor.
Tony Moore
Hi all,
My name is Nancy and I was diagnosed with grade 2 Bladder Cancer in 2019, due to my numerous health issues, this was something extra I did not need. I started off with 6 monthly cystoscopies, but in early 2022 I was to have 3 monthly cystoscopies and scrapings and 6 weeks later I had BCG, sessions once a week. My last cystoscopy in October 2022 showed more tumors which the surgeon removed and in December I had 3 sessions of BCG, I was informed in January that the BCG did not work, the specialist has booked me in for the 2nd March to have another cystoscopy with scraping and stated she would discuss what other options I have to try and put me back into remission (so far the cancer has come back twice in 2 years), so I am waiting for this to happen so that Hopefully I can get on with my life.
Urology Week is an international campaign for increasing awareness of urological conditions and treatment. This year (26-30 September 2021) the focus is on blood in urine as an indicator for bladder cancer.
We encourage everyone to spread the word about blood in urine and how important it is to discuss changes in urine colour with one’s GP.
Early detection of bladder cancer is very important.
To help raise awareness the hash tags to use are #urologyweek and #bladdercancer
Or print out some posters for your work place, club or school. Free Downloads Here
The main message is: Blood in urine, it’s bloody serious! Improve your quality of life with the help of your urologist.
To learn more about Urology Week check https://urologyweek.org/
| Hi Everyone, After a very successful USANZ Exhibit on the Gold Coast in July, and a new financial year ahead of us, our charity grows ever stronger, supporting patients and medical professionals involved in bladder cancer. Our updated free Procedure Guides were a big hit at USANZ. You can download these for free. We also have new stock of patient Guidebooks, Urinary Diversions books and Bladder cancer Care Plan sheets. Email us at contact@bladdercancer.org.au to order. |
Please, we get no Government funding and we have big projects that need support. Please consider a small (or large!) donation: www.bladdercancer.org.au/donations
26-30 September is Urology Week supported Internationally through the European Association of Urology (EAU). In 2022 their focus is Bladder Cancer and the strong blood in urine message. There are three fantastic posters here you can download for free from our web site.
Dr Sachin Perera is one of the newest members to join the bladdercancer.org.au board in 2022. As an aspirational Urologist Sachin works closely with leaders in the field to deliver research and clinical services in one of the world’s preeminent centres for excellence in Urology.
Read more…
On the 8th September the much anticipated World Bladder Patient Forum is being held in Paris. You can attend on-line or in person. Take two hours out of your schedule to log in. Register Here
The Urological Association of Asia Congress is to be held October 5-8 in Sydney at the Convention Centre. BladderCancer.org.au will be there and we are giving away a great Aussie Flag Electric Acoustic Guitar in a case. Valued at $599.00 drop by to our booth for a chance to win!
Sachin Perera is one of the newest members to join the bladdercancer.org.au board in 2022. Sachin is a junior doctor based at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Parkville, Victoria with a focus of practice in urology.
As an aspirational Urologist he works closely with leaders in the field to deliver research and clinical services in one of the world’s preeminent centres for excellence in Urology and is currently completing his Master of Surgery through the University of Sydney with Professor Nathan Lawrentschuk.
As part of our team Sachin will take on the Social media and Engagement portfolio bringing in experience from previous leadership roles in Hospital based environments. He is excited at the opportunity to join the Bladdercancer.org.au team during this transition point in the foundation and hopes to continue their success into 2022 and beyond.
I have to have my bladder removed plus nymph gland and all other parts attached to bladder. I’m not looking forward to this at all but believe I have to have it done to get rid of this awful cancer.
Would love to hear from those who have had this done and how they coped with it all. Thank you.
Nana Heather
The Bladder Cancer Australia Charity Foundation guitar prize is fast becoming a popular convention must do at at USANZ. Delegates visiting our convention booth for our latest bladder cancer patient literature and other resources also sign up for a chance to win our guitar prize.
The lucky winner this year is Nick Davies from Tasmania!
Nick gets to fly back home with his own EKO EVO III D EQ guitar. It features a classic Dreadnought cutaway body shape and a solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides, South American roupana fingerboard and bridge. The guitar is also equipped with the Fishman Presys Blend preamp and internal condenser microphone that makes this instrument suited to both stage and studio. Case was included for safe travel and the total prize valued at $899.00
We are distributing our Bladder Cancer Patient Guidebook and other patient resources at USANZ22
Our booth also has a draw going for an EKO EVO III D EQ guitar valued at $899.00
Note that there are costs involved in attending a conference like this and hiring a booth where we can share our patient resources to a wide network and advocate for bladder cancer awareness.
We also launched our Bladder Cancer Nurse Project to try and find the funds for a pilot program. (More info about this project soon)
If you can spare a few dollars a tax deductable donation to help us pay for our costs at ANZUS22 it would be very much appreciated and help us to continue in our work!
Check out more photos and comments about USANZ22 workshops and activities on the #USANZ22 tag on twitter.
Read about USANZ (The Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand) on their website at www.usanz.org.au
In April 2021 dad went to his GP as he was urinating blood. An ultrasound determined the presence of bladder lesions and he was immediately referred to a urologist. A biopsy in June 2021 confirmed dad had bladder cancer that penetrated the muscle. A very aggressive small cell carcinoma. The urologist consulted an oncologist who stated that the best course of action would be to have a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. Bladder removal was out of the question.
Dad completed his treatments in November 2021 and a further scan revealed lesions on his liver. The cancer was spreading and dad was booked for more scans soon after. Dad could not go through with it as he started to have severe back pain and could not lie down for the scan and strong pain killers and muscle relaxants did not ease his pain.
On 21 March 2022 dad was admitted in to palliative care due to his rapid deterioration. He slept in a sitting position for several weeks. Dad was becoming confused and the oncologist suspected that the cancer had spread to his brain but due to the pain he refused scans. On 8 April 2022 dad finally had a lumbar CT (in complete agony), but he could not sit through further tests, revealing the cancer had spread to his spine that caused several fractures causing his pain. Dad became unresponsive from 9 April 2022 and sadly, he passed away on 17 April 2022. Dad was 78.
Chiko
May is #BladderCancerMonth22 🗓️
We are challenging taboos and sparking conversations about most common symptom of bladder cancer – blood in urine. Embarrassment shouldn’t be what stops us from sharing the concern with others, especially a doctor. Some things we’re embarrassed about are harmless. Some, might not be.
If you see blood in your urine, need to urinate on a more frequent basis, or have what you think could be a UTI… #DontGoRed. Go to a doctor!
The topic of embarrassment is something that just about everyone can get involved in. We all have stories to share – Get involved ❗ Find out more about World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition campaign and get involved 👉 worldbladdercancer.org/awareness-month #BladderCancer