Cancer Australia has today announced grants totalling over one million dollars for the 2021 recipients of its Supporting people with cancer (SPWC) initiative.
The funds were awarded to eight organisations throughout Australia, of which six were for projects specifically aimed at reducing the impacts of cancer on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“We are pleased to offer SPWC grants for these community initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of cancer and improving support for people affected by cancer in a respectful and culturally appropriate way,” said Dorothy Keefe, CEO Cancer Australia.
Six grants have been awarded to improve the outcomes and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer through optimising access to cancer research, building capacity for Elders and community to provide support through culturally traditional knowledge, the development of culturally responsive resources and tools, supporting people with cancer in regional and remote areas and establishing a yarning circle.
Two grants have also been awarded to support the transition from cancer treatment to wellness for women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities and bridge the gaps between treatment, education and employment for Adolescent and Young Adults (AYAs) with cancer.
The SPWC grants were established to support community initiatives to improve wellbeing and outcomes of people with cancer including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, regional and rural communities and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
The Australian Government, through Cancer Australia’s SPWC Grant initiative, has contributed over $9.5 million towards 120 community grants nationwide since 2005.
Successful Recipients and their projects are:
- Mujaay Ganma Foundation Aboriginal Corporation: Country and Culture – Caring and Healing
- Waminda – South Coast Women’s Health and Welfare Aboriginal Corporation: The Waminda - Linking Shoalhaven’s Cancer Care Services project
- Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation: Supporting Aboriginal people affected by cancer in a remote Tasmanian community: Developing the cultural and clinical pathway (Healing journeys)
- Derbarl Yerrigan Health Services Aboriginal Corporation: Wangkiny moorditch nyin (good talking circle/sitting down) (Yarning both ways)
- Menzies School of Health Research: Optimising equitable access to cancer research participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Development of culturally-responsive resources to guide informed decision-making
- Canberra Hospital Foundation: Pathways to wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Islanders people with Cancer in the ACT and surrounding regions
- University of New South Wales: BRIDGES-4AYA. Returning to Employment and Study for Adolescents and Young Adults with cancer
- Western Sydney University: Supporting the transition from hospital cancer treatment to wellness for women from Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic backgrounds: a tailored stepped supportive care program