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prevention
Prevention is the best medicine
Finding cancer early and taking steps to prevent it occurring are two of the most effective ways to reduce the impact of cancer in our community. At least one in three cancers diagnosed in Australia can be prevented through a healthy lifestyle. Evidence shows that regular participation in national bowel, breast and cervical cancer screening programs reduces the rate of cancer mortality through early detection.
Year in review
Your generous support allows Cancer Council SA to develop and deliver a range of education programs, advocacy projects and mass media campaigns that empower more South Australians to cut their cancer risk and ultimately, save lives.
Protecting future generations
Cancer Council’s SunSmart Schools and Early Childhood Program is the only program in the country that embeds sun protection policy, practice and resources in the education setting, protecting children when it matters the most. Established in 1999, the Program now supports nearly 800 schools and early childhood centres to implement best practice sun protection, supporting them to teach and educate the next generation on how to protect themselves from overexposure to UV radiation.
Key highlights
See how you’re helping to give more people a cancer free future.
- This year a total of 114,790 children and their educators were protected through the SunSmart Schools and Early Childhood Program in South Australia.
- During 2020 we’ve seen 148 schools, early childhood centres and OSHC services successfully gain or maintain their SunSmart status by reviewing their sun protection policies and practice against Cancer Council SA’s guidelines, showing their continued commitment to skin cancer prevention.
- No hat, play in the shade; This year, Cancer Council SA launched the ‘SunSmart Hat Wearing Toolkit’ range of resources, which provides a step by step guide for schools to achieve 100 per cent of students and staff wearing Cancer Council approved hats.
- 69 people attended awareness sessions during the Skin Cancer Awareness Regional Roadshow (cut short due to COVID-19).
- This year, Cancer Council’s Community Education team attended 36 community events to raise awareness of cancer prevention strategies, delivered 115 education presentations, equivalent to over 100 hours of education and training reaching around 5,000 members.
- There were over 4,500 South Australian contacts to Quitline for free and confidential information, counselling and support to quit smoking.
- In 2020, Cancer Council SA re-established the CALD Project Officer position, a dedicated role, connecting Cancer Council SA with the CALD community and overcoming barriers.
- This year, 11 Quitskills mentor courses were run in South Australian prisons with 63 participants.