In the media

The Fringe show helping women deal with cancer

26/2/2019

One show at this year's Adelaide Fringe Festival explores the true stories of four strong women touched by breast cancer. Science Reporter CLARE PEDDIE talks to the show's creator, with a prominent Adelaide breast cancer researcher, Associate Professor Wendy Ingman, about what we can learn from them. Published in the Advertiser 25/2/2019

Dealing with a difficult diagnosis is character building. Life goes on, for the lucky ones. And those who emerge from the pit of despair often commit what little time they have left to the important things in life: family and friends.
Many families are touched by breast cancer, the most common cancer among Australian women, accounting for almost a third (28 per cent) of all cancers diagnosed in women.
In SA, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows 1333 women and nine men were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, while 274 women and one man died. Around 400 surgeries to remove breast cancer are conducted at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital each year.

Dr Pallave Dasari named a Superstar of STEM

6/7/2017

We wish Dr Pallave Dasari a warm congratulations on being named as one of 30 Super Stars of STEM (STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The award was announced this week by the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Arthur Sinodinos.

Pallave is a breast cancer researcher in A/Prof Wendy Ingman’s lab at the University of Adelaide, based at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Pallave has worked tirelessly behind the scenes of INFORMD. She played a big role in helping to organise the public awareness campaign we ran last year, was a co-author of our article in The Conversation, and helped put together our website. She also got our social media up and running by setting up our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Superstar award is coordinated by Science and Technology Australia, who will be working with these dynamic scientists and technologists to create role models for young women and girls, smash stereotypes, and carve out a more diverse face for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. More than 300 applicants vied for a spot to be a Superstar, with the successful candidates being equipped through the program with advanced communication skills and providing them with the opportunities to use them - in the media, on the stage, and in speaking with decision-makers.

It is wonderful Pallave’s hard work has been recognised by this award and we look forward to hearing more from this Superstar in the future. Congratulations again!

LIFESAVING ADVICE

28/2/2017

There isn't anything funny about breast cancer, but one Australian survivor is using comedy to spread an important lifesaving message.
Channel 10 news caught a glimpse of Lana Schwarcz at the Adelaide Fringe and her show "Lovely Lady Lumps". The message? Early detection saves lives, go and get a mammogram!
Lana is now helping INFORMD raise awareness of breast density as part of her show, thanks Lana!

Dense-breasted women dilemma

30/1/2017

Dense breasts are at higher risk of cancer but the dense tissue makes cancer hard to spot. What to do?

Some argue women should be told about their breast density when they have a mammogram. Others disagree.

New research about what might help reduce breast density and therefore cancer risk, has raised the debate once more.

Wendy Ingman discusses her latest research on the cause of increased breast density and cancer risk with Dr Norman Swan on the ABC Health Report on Radio National.

Funding success for exciting new breast cancer research project

11/1/2017

World-leading Victorian cancer researchers have been given a $7 million funding package to further discoveries that could potentially save lives. Over a dozen of the state’s most elite cancer researchers will share in the state government grants to help develop cures and preventive treatments for various forms of life-threatening cancers.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre researcher and INFORMD member Dr Kara Britt will use the funding to investigate breast cancer therapies based on a protein found in healthy breasts, and more so in women who have had a pregnancy. Pregnancy in young women is known to reduce a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer but little is understood about why this is. Through understanding the biological pathways that cause pregnancy to protect women against breast cancer, Dr Britt hopes to develop new therapies against breast cancer and maybe even prevent breast cancer from occurring in the first place, "This funding is critically important for us to progress our research trying to find new breast cancer treatments and potential preventatives." she says.

Dr Kara Britt will study novel biological pathways that can prevent and treat breast cancer.

INFORMD in the news - October 2016

31/10/2016

BY INFORMD

October marks international breast cancer awareness month. This year, an alliance of Australian breast cancer researchers launched INFORMD to raise awareness about the importance of breast density in the prevention and diagnosis of breast cancer.

Associate Professor Wendy Ingman speaks about the launch of the INFORMD campaign and how breast density matters.

Following a mammogram, Pip Brennen from Western Australia, learned she had dense breasts. Like many women, she did not know what this meant. Currently, Western Australia is the only state which requires reporting on breast density.

9 News spoke to Pip and INFORMD founder Professor Jennifer Stone from the University of Western Australia about the importance of women being informed about their breast density.

In other news, INFORMD founder Professor John Hopper from the University of Melbourne was interviewed by 7 News. His research team has developed a new way to interpret mammograms to predict which women have a greater risk of developing breast cancer in the future.

Melbourne scientists breakthrough to predict which women will develop breast cancer

Melbourne scientists breakthrough to predict which women will develop breast cancer

INFORMD was also featured in The Conversation and news.com.au.

That's all for October, but check back next month for more news.

Let's start a conversation - density matters

30/9/2016

By the INFORMD alliance

Women with higher breast density for their age are more likely to develop breast cancer. Higher breast density also makes it harder for doctors to detect breast cancer on a mammogram. Currently, Australian women are not routinely tested for and told about their level of breast density when they undergo a mammogram.

The INFORMD alliance are concerned that women in the community are unaware of the importance of high breast density. This October, to coincide with international breast cancer awareness month, they have launched their campaign to inform and empower women.

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IN THE MEDIA