Last Wednesday, November 13, Cancer Council Victoria, BreastScreen Victoria and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation joined forces to host a unique health event for Aboriginal women in the Shepparton area.
The community-led project highlighted the importance of cancer screening for women, with information about culturally safe and accessible options for the Aboriginal community.
Cancer Council Victoria worked with Madison Connors, an Aboriginal artist from the Shepparton area, to create artwork depicting the cervical screening experience, which was on show during the event.
BreastScreen Victoria also provided free breast screens to women aged 50 and over, with the first 50 Aboriginal women to also receive a free cultural screening shawl to wear during the mammogram and to take and keep.
These shawls were developed to make breast screening more comfortable for Aboriginal women across Victoria, with Bangerang and Gunditjmara artist, Rebecca Atkinson designing the shawl for the Shepparton area.
For more information or to make a breast screening appointment, visit breastscreen.org.au or call 13 20 50. For more information about cervical screening visit cancervic.org.au/cervical-aboriginal or call 13 11 20 to speak to Cancer Council Victoria.
