The NSW Government is supporting not-for-profit organisation Pink Sari Inc. to deliver much needed support to people from South Asian communities impacted by cancer through a new pilot program.
The CanInfo and Care project, supported by a $42,100 grant from the Government, aims to ease the personal burden on people with cancer. It does this by providing individuals with access to culturally sensitive information sessions, as a safe space to voice their needs specifically associated with their South Asian origin, religious and cultural beliefs.
Through these sessions, cancer patients are also directed to existing resources and services that best meet their needs, such as counselling, transport, dietary and financial assistance.
This valuable support is provided by volunteers from diverse backgrounds who have a unique understanding of cultural context and can help bridge the gap between the health care system and people from South Asian communities.
In the past 12 months, CanInfo and Care has already assisted around 70 people from South Asian communities on various aspects of their cancer journey.
The CanInfo and Care project is being delivered in partnership with Western and South Western Sydney Local Health Districts as part of Cancer Institute NSW's multicultural grant program. The project builds on Pink Sari's strong history of supporting multicultural communities to engage in cancer screening.
To further improve cancer outcomes in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, the Cancer Institute NSW has now awarded more than $500,000 to deliver 20 cancer control programs in areas such as Liverpool, Far West NSW, the Illawarra and Newcastle.
Multicultural communities face significant barriers accessing cancer screening services and care, often due to language barriers, poor health literacy, trauma, and cultural stigma and beliefs. These grants support local community groups and health services to roll out targeted initiatives that will help provide people with multilingual information to reduce their cancer risk, in a way that is aligned with their cultural beliefs.
To further help boost breast cancer screening rates in NSW, particularly for CALD communities and other at-risk populations in NSW, a new and improved BreastScreen NSW website has been launched.
The website has pages tailored to women from priority populations, including CALD backgrounds , with translated resources soon available in 26 languages.
Featuring an enhanced location finder and mobile first design, the new website makes it simpler for women to locate their closest BreastScreen site and book in their two-yearly breast screen from any device.
Quotes attributable to Health Minister Ryan Park
"The NSW Government is committed to improving cancer screening rates and outcomes for multicultural communities."
"NSW is a global leader in cancer care, but we recognise unfortunately some people still face barriers and disadvantage for varied and complex reasons."
"Together with multicultural communities and fantastic organisations like Pink Sari, we're working to ensure all people across NSW have access to timely and culturally appropriate care and support."
Quotes attributable to Member for Liverpool, Charishma Kaliyanda
"We need to break down barriers to screening and care that exist in multicultural and CALD communities. This is essential to deliver higher cancer screening rates and better outcomes.
"It's great to see support channels like CanInfo and Care helping to ease the burden on cancer patients and their families."
Quotes attributable to NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO, Cancer Institute NSW Professor Tracey O'Brien
"Reducing the inequitable cancer outcomes experienced by CALD communities can only be achieved by listening to and partnering with passionate community organisations like Pink Sari.
"Understanding and breaking down the barriers to cancer care and support is a team effort. I thank Pink Sari and the countless other community members and organisations for their exceptional work in supporting people impacted by cancer."
Quotes attributable to Pink Sari President Shantha Viswanathan
"We can't underestimate the power that relevant and supportive information can have in making a consumer's cancer journey less stressful and confusing."
"Often the information provided to patients relies on the health literacy of individuals and this can be quite challenging for those with language difficulties, so a support channel like CanInfo and Care is vital in helping to bridge this gap."
Quotes attributable to consumer advocate Madhavi Nair
"Support services like CanInfo and Care ensure that individuals receive not only medical care but also the emotional, linguistic, and practical support necessary to navigate the healthcare system effectively."
"By providing tailored resources and a supportive network, these programs help reduce the isolation and stress often experienced by those undergoing treatment in a foreign country, thereby improving their overall wellbeing and treatment outcomes."
