From Sunday 3 October 2021 to Saturday 30 April 2022, the Cancer Council of WA will be rerunning the ‘Regional Champions’ campaign. The campaign features personal testimonies from local “champions” who highlight lesser-known symptoms of cancer and encourage regional people to visit their doctor, clinic nurse or Aboriginal health worker if they have an unusual symptom. Australian research shows that people living in regional Australia have lower rates of five-year survival, for all cancers combined than people living in metropolitan areas and that this is partly attributable to regional people presenting to their doctor at a later stage because they are less aware of cancer symptoms, more optimistic, more laid back, less willing to seek help, and sometimes make excuses for not seeking help.
Originally launched in January, the post-campaign survey results indicated one third of respondents reported Covid-19 as a barrier to visiting their doctor, clinic nurse or Aboriginal health worker if they had noticed a cancer symptom. This feedback highlights why it’s relevant now more than ever to raise awareness of how important it is to find cancer early. The Cancer Council are encouraging the community and social services sector to help them continue improving cancer outcomes for regional Western Australians by sharing the campaign through their networks.
