On behalf of the Tweed Valley Relay for Life 2016 committee, I would like to express our thanks to your paper in assisting us in helping to inform your readers of our 2016 Relay for Life event.
It is through your medium that we are able to provide the many residents of our shire with information about the Tweed Valley Relay, to be held at the Merv Edwards Field Wommin Bay Road Kingscliff starting at 4pm (DST) on 12 March 2016.
By the good works of our Relay teams, our supporters/sponsors, our wonderful Tweed Valley residents and volunteers, we can continue providing practical support and resources in the oncology ward at The Tweed Hospital, assisting nurses to support up to 200 patients and carers a week.
The Cancer Council will also be expanding this support into the Murwillumbah oncology unit within the next year.
Some of your readers may be surprised to learn that the Cancer Council is the only charity working across every aspect of every cancer. The Tweed Valley Relay for Life and Cancer Council strive to lead, empower and mobilise the community to make the biggest possible difference.
Cancer Council prevention programs such as Eat It To Beat It, Sun Sound and Sun Smart focus on changing lifestyle behaviour, through prevention and education campaigns. The success of past programs such as Sun Smart and Sun Sound prove this, however there is more work to be done to assist our community in fighting back in preventing cancer.
Did you know that there is a campaign called Lifestyle Behaviour Campaign – Men’s 40? A first in NSW and happening in our backyard! Men between 40 and 64 are twice as likely to be diagnosed with melanoma and three times as likely to die from it as women of similar age.
This is why in 2016 the Cancer Council are partnering with the Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club to implement a lifestyle behaviour change program among men of that age demographic. If this proves successful then Cancer Council hope to roll this out in coming years across the region, started here in the Tweed.
For the information of your readers Cancer Council also provides:
- Transport To Treatment, a service identified as a need by our community. Cancer Council support Tweed Ballina Byron Community transport in taking patients to treatment areas as far up as Brisbane and the Gold Coast hospitals.
- Legal and financial support, another service which makes a big difference. Emergency financial assistance is available to people who are affected by cancer and are financially disadvantaged. Financial assistance is provided in the form of bill payments, household expenses and emergency fuel and food vouchers. For example, a $250 grant can make a difference between having your electricity staying connected or not.
Cancer Council provide and support so many more programs and services but above are focus areas identified as needs in our community. If you are interested in any more information please call 13 11 20 or visit the cancer council website www.cancercouncil.com.au
Again, on behalf of the entire committee, our warmest appreciation for you helping to spread the word about Tweed Valley Relay for Life 2016, everyone is more than welcome to participate in the Relay as they can.
Get a team together, buy raffle tickets, come and spend some time at the Relay, buy a drink or food and settle down to listen to the free entertainment – bring a pillow and rug, learn about what Relay is and does – on the day. Go to our Facebook page to find out further information at fundraising.cancer.org.au/tweed2016
Together we can make a difference; we do this by remembering those lost to cancer, supporting those battling with cancer, celebrating our wonderful survivors and carers and always with hope – to finding a cure. Everyone is welcome to join us.
Dot Holdom, chair, Tweed Valley Relay for Life 2016
