Sue Cashin awarded national scholarship

Ararat breast care nurse Sue Cashin has been awarded a national scholarship to develop her skills in caring for local women with breast cancer.

Ms Cashin, from East Grampians Health Service, was one of 44 successful applicants across Australia to be awarded a scholarship by the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre.

Funded by the Polo Ralph Lauren Pink Pony Campaign, the scholarship allowed Ms Cashin to attend a National Breast Care Nurses Conference in Melbourne.

The conference discussed the latest in breast cancer care and allowed Ms Cashin to update her professional knowledge and skills.
Ms Cashin said she was thrilled to be given the opportunity to attend.

"It's really great that I have received funding to attend the conference,'' she said.

"It is so important for medical practitioners to be able to access up to date knowledge in order to provide patients with quality care.
"I also get the chance to meet and interact with other breast care nurses and discuss various issues with them, which is invaluable.''
Ms Cashin, who has worked as a breast care nurse for 12 years, said training in the field was ongoing.

"I've completed a cancer care course through distance education and regularly attend conferences to build my knowledge in different areas,'' she said.

"With breast cancer there are so many different situations that require you to be able to care for the patients, as well as give support to their families.''

General manager of the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, Associate Professor Christine Giles, said regular training was important for rural nurses.

"Thirty per cent of women with breast cancer live in rural, regional and remote parts of Australia,'' she said.

"Nurses, like Ms Cashin, play a key role in providing vital information, care, practical and emotional support to these women and their families throughout their breast cancer journey.''

Ms Cashin said she hoped to use her knowledge to increase breast cancer awareness among young women.

"This year we really want to try and raise awareness in young women,'' she said.

"We provide a lot of services such as a free breast screening bus and we will be releasing a new brochure on breast cancer soon.

"It is just as important for younger women to be aware of breast cancer as it is older women.''

Ms Cashin also wanted to remind women over 50 to have a mammogram every two years.

Article from http://ararat.yourguide.com.au