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BENDIGO will now have access to two dedicated McGrath breast care nurses to support women who suffer from breast cancer and their families.
Newly-appointed McGrath breast care nurses, Kath Murley and Sharon Salter will provide emotional support for women from the time of diagnosis to the end of their treatment.
Ms Murley will be based at St John of God hospital, while Ms Salter will be based at Bendigo Health.
Both are experienced nurses who are looking forward to working with local women.
Ms Murley has had a 25-year career in surgical and clinical management.
Recently she has been working as a nurse counsellor.
Ms Salter has been a nurse since 1975.
For the past seven years she has also worked as a breast care consultant.
McGrath Foundation ambassador and director Tracy Bevan said she was happy about the placement of the two nurses in Bendigo.
“Coupled with their professional knowledge, McGrath breast care nurses offer a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on and the opportunity for patients to share their frustrations and emotions with someone outside their immediate family,”she said.
The foundation was co-founded by Jane and Glenn McGrath after Jane’s first recovery from breast cancer.
The McGrath Foundation hopes to raise money to place McGrath breast care nurses in communities across the country, while also increasing breast cancer awareness in younger women.
It costs an average of $350,000 to place a McGrath breast care nurse in the community over a three-year period.
Ms Bevan said when Jane McGrath passed away in 2008 there were only four McGrath breast care nurses.
“Today, thanks both to funding from the Australian Government and the extraordinary ongoing support of people right across Australia, we have 72 McGrath breast care nurses who have helped more than 12,000 Australian families,” she said.
St John of God director of nursing Karen Laing and David Rosaia of Bendigo Health agreed it was important to support families experiencing breast cancer in regional areas.
“We feel very grateful to have two McGrath breast care nurses working in the Bendigo region, proving that quality breast care support should and can be accessible to all Australian women and their families no matter where they live,” they said.
For more information about the counselling you can contact Sharon Salter on 0409 416 852 or Kath Murley on 0412 487 086.
Personal experience inspires career
New Bendigo breast care nurse Sharon Salter.
SHARON Salter knows firsthand what it feels like to be affected by breast cancer.
“I had two friends who had breast cancer a couple of years ago. One of them passed away, the other one is still alive,” she said.
“That is effectively why I became a breast care nurse.”
Ms Salter said she shared her passion in her role as a McGrath breast care nurse and enjoyed being a familiar face of support for Bendigo women and their families.
“I’m excited and privileged to be welcomed into the McGrath Foundation family,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to spreading the word about breast awareness and ensuring that all women and their families in the Bendigo region have access to a breast care nurse.”
Ms Salter has been working as a breast care consultant at both Bendigo Health and St John of God hospitals since 2005.
Ms Salter said when she was a consultant she was trying to fit a lot of work into a tight schedule.
“When funding got cut back from St John of God the integrated cancer services decided to apply for McGrath funding,” she said. “I now work full-time and Kath Murley works point five, so we have increased the breast care nurses, which is really good for the women of the region.”
Ms Salter said not all women understood the importance of regular breast screening.
“I think the majority of women are not breast aware,” she said.
“Kath and I need to get around to a lot of the places in Bendigo and get the message out about breast awareness.
“Life becomes very busy, and women forget to think about themselves.”
Ms Salter said it was important for women to know what their breasts looked and felt like.
“If there is anything different, then a lot of the time it is just a benign breast disease,” she said.
“If they get it checked and know what it looks like then they know what to look for in the future.”
Empowering women with the right knowledge when it’s needed most
New Bendigo breast care nurse Kath Murley.
KATH Murley believes with her new role as a McGrath breast care nurse she can positively contribute to the Bendigo community.
“The way in which women react to a breast cancer diagnosis varies dramatically, but for all women and their families it is a life changing experience, “she said.
“From the point of diagnosis, throughout the challenges and even after treatment, many women need the support of a breast care nurse who can share the experience with them.”
Ms Murley has been a surgical nurse for 25 years and has worked at Breast Screen in Bendigo for the past three years as a nurse counsellor and information officer.
“I was going out doing information sessions for the community on breast health awareness and why women should have breast screening regularly,” she said.
“The other part of my role was nurse councillor. When women have a mammogram and an abnormality is detected they get called back to Breast Screen. Part of my role was to support them as it is a fairly stressful time.”
Ms Murley will work closely with Sharon Salter to provide this comprehensive service.
“We will respond to calls from health professionals, counsel and support women, visit women after they have had their surgery and follow up with them during the different stages of their treatment,” she said.
Ms Murley said one of the best things about her job was answering questions.
“Sometimes women might have questions that perhaps they don’t want to worry their family over, and they want to speak to someone who they don’t have an emotional connection to,” she said.
“They can ask those questions that would perhaps be bothering them.
“You can provide that confidentiality.”
Ms Murley said women shouldn’t feel scared about getting themselves checked.
“They might say ‘I will get checked when the kids are on school holidays’ or ‘ I don’t think it is anything’ or ‘give it a few weeks and see if it settles down’,” she said.
“By the time they do go and see their doctor it may be too late.
“The majority of symptoms that women get in their breast turn out to be benign.
“It is so important that women do have regular breast screens.”
Ms Murley said their support of women continued after surgical procedures.
“Once they are out of surgery it doesn’t mean their experience was finished,” she said.
“They may need radiotherapy or chemotherapy and still need support after that.
“Then five or 10 years later there is that chance of the cancer coming back.”
Ms Murley said knowledge was a powerful thing.
“A wonderful part of the job is leaving the patient knowing you have made a difference,” she said.