Health & Wellbeing Archives - Page 9 of 27

Dr Richard Draper Awarded Australian GP Of The Year

November 2, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Dr Draper pictured with Dr Nicole Higgins, RACGP President

Dr Richard Draper is the Principal GP at Medicine & Mind in Forbes, and also now the RACGP GP of the Year. He is a Parkes local with over 29 years experience working in the Central West in both the private and public sector in general practice, emergency medicine, obstetrics and anaesthetics.

Dr Draper had no idea he had even been nominated at the State level when he received a call from the RACGP, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, to inform him that he had taken out the top award for NSW/ACT (combined) GP of the Year. It was that award that placed him in the running for the National GP of the Year award. Dr Draper said when he heard that he had actually won the national award “I was genuinely stunned”.

Dr Draper is passionate about improving access for patients to quality mental health services in rural areas and has implemented a unique model of care at Forbes Medicine & Mind that sees clinicians working collaboratively with many providers to improve the health and wellbeing of patients.

As GP of the Year, Dr Draper hopes to use his platform over the next 12 months to highlight the needs for more support from Government for General Practitioners to be able to continue to provide such essential services, especially in rural communities and in the wake of natural disasters such as the recent flooding that affected the Forbes community

Heart Foundation announces $13.9 million for heart research in Australia

October 26, 2023 By Roxane Manley

The Heart Foundation has announced the awarding of $13.9 million to support 73 new, groundbreaking research projects that will leverage Australia’s scientific expertise to save more lives from cardiovascular disease.

This year’s awarded projects will investigate some of the toughest and most insidious unsolved mysteries of cardiovascular disease (CVD), championing the cause for advanced prevention, treatment and management of heart disease, stroke and blood vessel disease.

A full list of research projects is available online.

Heart Foundation CEO David Lloyd said that the generosity of donors during the past 12 months had ensured the organisation could continue to help support vital cardiovascular research.

More than four million Australians are living with a cardiovascular disease and nearly 44,000 deaths are attributed to one, with coronary heart disease continuing to be the leading single cause of disease and death in Australia — accounting for more than 17,300 deaths each year.

More Farmers Seeking Mental Health Support

October 12, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Australian farmers are seeking mental health support at almost twice the rate they were seeking assistance last year, according to trusted rural charity, Rural Aid.

In the past two months, Rural Aid counsellors have conducted 277 counselling sessions, a 95 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Rural Aid’s counselling helpline is currently fielding an average of 13 calls each day from primary producers.

Rural Aid’s Manager of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Myf Pitcher, said the range of topics that farmers are worried about has also recently widened.

“Our farmers have moved from states of stress to states of desperation,” Myf said.

Sheep and cattle farmer Ron Dooley said the Rural Aid counselling service helped him get through a difficult time after the Black Summer bushfires.

“I had a bit of a mishap when I was fighting the front of the fire. I couldn’t see where I was going and I ran into a dam wall and stalled the tractor with the flames coming through the bottom of the tractor,” Ron said.

“After talking with Darren from Rural Aid, he [helped me to make] some decisions on what to do when feeling like that, and it did help,” Ron said.

Rural Aid counsellors catch up with their farmers where they’re most comfortable; whether it’s on farm, in town, or over the phone.

Contact Rural Aid’s counselling intake line on 1300 175 594.

Mental Health Workforce Strategy

October 12, 2023 By Roxane Manley

As we shine a light on mental health issues during this Mental Health Week, the National Rural Health Alliance (the Alliance) welcomes the launch of the National Mental Health Workforce Strategy 2022-2032 by the Australian Government.

The Alliance is pleased to see that the issues of mental health workforce shortages in rural and remote locations and options to address the specific needs of communities to attract, retain, maximise, support and train a rural workforce are given due consideration in this Strategy.

“We know mental illness in rural and remote Australia is more prevalent than in major cities and tragically, rates of self-harm and suicide increase with remoteness.

“We are particularly pleased to see the reference to the need for home grown professionals as the Strategy notes that people originating from rural and remote areas often have a preference to undertake training and employment in their own or comparable communities. The Strategy rightly notes that there needs to be a focus on developing, growing and sustaining the regional, rural and remote mental health workforce through providing localised education, training and placement opportunities for students,” said the Alliance Chief Executive Susi Tegen.

The Push-Up Challenge Student Ambassador Program 2024

October 5, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Student Ambassadors will lead their school mates, teachers and school community in The Push-Up Challenge by cheering them on to get fit, have fun and learn about mental health.

Australia’s largest mental health and fitness event, The Push-Up Challenge, is calling on students passionate about mental health to apply for its 2024 Student Ambassador Program.

Students completing Year 10, 11 and Year 12 in 2024 anywhere in Australia can apply to be a Student Ambassador and make a difference to the mental health of their school community. They will be equipped with mental health awareness training, resources and leadership support to coordinate The Push-Up Challenge at their school.

Founder of The Push-Up Challenge, Nick Hudson, says the Student Ambassador program is one of the team’s proudest achievements to date. “Watching students from around the country bring their communities together through fun and fitness is such a special thing” he commented.

Ambassadors benefit by gaining skills and experience in leading a community-based project, coordinating health promotion events and activities, and contributing to a good cause.

“When we think about mental health, we often think of mental illness. The Student Ambassador program aims to help students reframe this perception by providing tools to increase their mental health knowledge and build confidence in encouraging conversations about mental health with peers and community,” said Hudson.

The Push-Up Challenge will take place mid year in 2024, across three weeks. This year, 215,000 Australians took part in The Push-Up Challenge, collectively completing a staggering 315 million push-ups in 23 days and raising over $14.7 million for mental health charities Lifeline, Movember and Push for Better Foundation.

Learn about The Push-Up Challenge’s Student Ambassador program and apply to take part, visit www.thepushupchallenge.com.au

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Pink Promise

October 5, 2023 By Roxane Manley

October 1 marked the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and at Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) the theme is “Living Well, Your Way”. With 20,458 women and 217 men expected to receive a diagnosis in 2023, raising awareness around the different support and resources available to help people live well with or beyond breast cancer is essential.

The theme recognises that many people struggle to ‘live well’ following a diagnosis of breast cancer and that a quality lifestyle looks different for different people.

“Living well looks different for everyone, and it is likely that people affected by breast cancer will require different types of support at different times,” said BCNA CEO Kirsten Pilatti. “It means seeing the whole person, rather than the disease.”

Throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month, BCNA will share information about different resources available, across topics such as psychosocial support and exercise. They will also share personal stories from members about what helps them to live well.

BCNA offer trusted information and a variety of resources which can all be accessed via BCNA’s newly refreshed website at www.bcna.org.au.

Parkes IGA Supports Pink Up Parkes

October 5, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Parkes IGA Store Manager Steven Langlois, and popular employee Joyce Sefonte dressed in Pink to support Pink Up Parkes.

Businesses, schools and organisations across Parkes are showing their support, and getting involved in Pink Up Parkes for the month of October to help raise money for the McGrath Foundation who support Breast Care nurses across Australia.

At IGA in Parkes the Store Manager Steven Langlois is putting it all on the line to raise as much money as he can for the cause. Steven has set a fundraising target that they will donate to Pink Up Parkes, and once the target is raised he is committing to shave his head. So head on into IGA and support a great cause.

Can A Sports Injury Increase Your Risk Of Breast Cancer?

September 29, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Leading breast cancer surgeon, Associate Professor Sanjay Warrier busts sporting injury myth.

If you had an active childhood spent playing sports afterschool or on the weekend you might have sustained the odd sports injury here and there in those rough and tumble days. Let’s face it, netball can get a bit rough and elbows tend to go flying at the best of times. Sometimes our old injuries can come back to haunt us as we age.

Some people believe that sports injuries can lead to breast cancer, however, Associate Professor Sanjay Warrier assures everyone that this is not the case. There is no link between sports injuries and cancer, he clarified, however, an injury may draw attention to a previously formed lump, which is then how the cancer is detected.

Associate Professor Warrier is one of the world’s leading breast health and breast cancer surgeons who has built a highly respected practice in Sydney. The practice spans three locations with its main surgical centre located at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in Camperdown, and the other sites at BMA House, Macquarie Street, Sydney and Bondi Junction Medical, Oxford Street, Bondi Junction.

In addition to Associate Professor Warrier’s breast health and surgical work, he also dedicates considerable time to research exploring and developing advancements in breast cancer detection and treatments to improve outcomes for patients. He also developed the world’s first Master of Breast Surgery which is delivered through the University of Sydney.

Injuries cannot cause cancer

“Injuries cannot cause cancer, but an injury may lead to finding cancer in the injured area. For example, a bone that is weak from a cancerous tumour is more likely to break. So, if an accident occurs during a sporting event and the bone breaks, then during the course of treatment for the injury, the cancer is discovered,” Associate Professor Warrier explained.

“There is no data or indication that trauma of any kind to the breast is linked to breast cancer or can cause breast cancer. This is a myth that has circulated for many years without foundation.”

Breast trauma causes lumps

“People are understandably concerned that breast injury/trauma can cause cancer because the trauma can cause lumps to develop. These lumps, however, are not cancerous. Let me explain further: there are two types of lumps that can develop from trauma. The first is called hematoma and this is a deep bruise that will heal. The other is fat necrosis, which is scarred fatty tissue in the breast that results from injury,” Associate Professor Warrier said.

“If you have had some sports injury around the breast area, and you are concerned, the best thing to do is to book in for a mammogram. This will give you peace of mind about the risks.”

So what does cause breast cancer?

“Certain risk factors are, getting older, having a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer, previous treatment using radiation therapy, reproductive history and genetic mutations,” Associate Professor Warrier added.

Further information https://www.drsanjaywarrier.com.au.

Walk In Solidarity With The 1 In 5 Australians Experiencing Mental Illness Each Year

September 29, 2023 By Roxane Manley

The Black Dog Institute is calling on Australians to participate in One Foot Forward – a national virtual challenge taking place in October – Mental Health Month.

The challenge, which kicks off this Sunday, 1st October, is to walk, run, or roll 40km, 60km, 100km, 150km, or a distance that suits them throughout the month, to show people experiencing symptoms of mental illness that they are not alone and to help raise funds for Black Dog Institute’s crucial mental health research and support services here in Australia.

“One in five Australians experience a mental illness each year which means around 5 million people are personally affected,” says Head of Fundraising at the Black Dog Institute, Evan Jackson.

“One Foot Forward can be a great way to take a positive step forward for your own mental health and show Australians impacted by mental illness that they’re not alone. You can take part solo, with a team or with your colleagues.”

In 2022, over 28,000 participants walked, ran and rolled over 2,286,105km during Mental Health Month and joined in on the fun, got active, and raised funds to help Black Dog Institute. All to put ground-breaking new mental health treatment, education and digital services into the hands of the people who need them most.

Funds raised by One Foot Forward participants this year can assist in the research and development of digital mental health tools and apps for adults and children, support novel and innovative suicide prevention programs, and help community presenters reach school students to talk about mental health in schools.

’Tis The Season -Tips For Your Itchy, Watery, Red Eyes This Spring

September 29, 2023 By Roxane Manley

Spring is not always a time for celebration, it can sometimes be a time of sneezing, mucous and the dreaded itchy eyes. Visit the team at Hansen’s Optometrist in Parkes to discuss how they can assist you.

20% of Australians suffer with hayfever. Allergic conjunctivitis is the bane of many a hay fever sufferer so what is the best way to manage your itchy eyes?

1. Avoid your allergy triggers. If you know the types of plants, grasses or pollens that trigger your allergy symptoms then do everything within your power to avoid them. This might mean taking your daily walks in the evening or just before dawn when the pollen count is lower.

2. Keep allergens away. Regularly washing your face, hair and around your eyes, frequently changing your clothing and linen can help to remove the little allergen particles that accumulate over time.

3. Treat your itchy eyes with medication. There are a host of over the counter antihistamine eye drops to provide relief for the symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis. Try several to find the one that works best for you. Avoid using the “red eye” drops as these do little more than temporarily hide the redness of your eyes without addressing the underlying cause. For persistent allergy, use a mast cell stabiliser eyedrop leading up to and during spring to act as a preventative. These are available as a combination drop alongside an antihistamine.

4. Treat any concurrent dry eye disease. Having dry eyes will exacerbate your allergic conjunctivitis symptoms and our tears act as a natural means of flushing allergens out of our eyes. Watch out with taking oral antihistamines as these can cause dry eyes.

If you suffer from itchy eyes, then book an appointment at Hansens Optometrists where we can formulate a plan specific to you. We can prescribe more effective eye drops then what is available over the counter and treat any dry eye or other eye problems that might be masquerading as allergy or making your itchy eyes worse.

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