Bathurst Base Hospital served as one of the two launch sites yesterday for the community's Pink Up Your Town fundraiser, to be held in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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The fundraiser will see a series of Bathurst businesses and organisations stage fundraising initiatives throughout October to support the McGrath Foundation in providing breast care nurses to communities throughout Australia.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, it is estimated that one in seven women and one in 675 men are at risk of developing breast cancer before they turn 85.
The McGrath Foundation currently has 135 breast care nurses employed in communities throughout Australia.
Bathurst McGrath breast care nurse Marita Tipene said the fundraising initiative will help create more support opportunities for breast cancer patients across the country.
"Breast care nurses meet patients at the time of their diagnosis and help discuss a variety of tailored options for moving ahead with treatment," Ms Tipene said.
"When a patient is diagnosed, we're following them up for a minimum of five years, and it impacts every area of their life."
Ms Tipene, who has been Bathurst's McGrath breast care nurse since 2015, said treatment for the cancer has improved over the last few years.
"The emergence of antibody therapy and immunotherapy has lessened the aggressiveness of treatment for patients," she said.
"Furthermore, rural areas are regularly gaining access to the latest prescription medicines, and researchers are discovering new information about breast cancer all the time."
Bathurst Health Service clinical nurse educator Sally Taylor said the hospital has a series of fundraising initiatives in store throughout the month.
"We'll be running a cake stall in the foyer next Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as a '100 club' lottery and a raffle," Ms Taylor said.
The fundraising goal for Bathurst's Pink Up Your Town program is $20,000.
PINK UP YOUR TOWN EVENTS AROUND BATHURST:
- October 5: Boobs and Bowls at The Greens on William, 12pm to 4pm [$5 entry]
- October 7: Community Heart Mural at The Victoria Bathurst, 11.30am to 2.30pm [entry via gold coin donation]
- October 8 and 9: Cake stall at Bathurst Base Hospital, from 10am
- October 12: Bathurst 1000 Saturday street fair stall, 10am to 4pm [volunteers required]
- October 13: Mount Panorama charity donation buckets, 8am to 11am [volunteers required]
- October 18: Barbeque at Bunnings Warehouse, 9am to 4pm [volunteers required]
- October 26: Megan Bourke cutting her hair at The Victoria Bathurst, 1.30pm to 3pm
- October 27: Yoga in Machattie Park with Pranayoga Bathurst, 10am to 11am
- October 30: Bathurst Liquor Accord charity golf day
- October 31: Moodie's Pharmacy barbeque, 11am to 2pm
- October 31: Closing Ceremony at Bathurst Base Hospital