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Generous community donations to Ipswich Hospital Foundation’s Impact Funding program are helping to make technological advances in healthcare a reality for patients in the West Moreton region.

Ten projects have received the green light from the Ipswich Hospital Foundation’s quarterly funding program to date.

The program gives West Moreton Health staff the opportunity to apply for funding for new equipment or to support enhanced care for patients and support persons, via health promotion, research and innovation projects.

One of the successful applicants in the first funding round for 2024 was West Moreton Health breast and endocrine surgeon, Dr Susan Bell.

Thanks to Dr Bell and her team, Ipswich Hospital is among the first public hospitals in Queensland to offer the SCOUT wire-free breast localisation technology, a ground-breaking piece of equipment that eliminates the need for breast cancer patients to undergo hookwire insertion on the day of their surgery.

Dr Bell said that the revolutionary new technology is less invasive, has the potential to improve patient outcomes, and reduces waiting times for breast cancer patients who will no longer have to juggle multiple appointments with radiologists and surgeons on the same day.

Dr Bell said she decided to apply for Impact Funding for SCOUT after seeing the equipment in action.

“I’m currently doing a Master of Advanced Breast Surgery, and as part of that, we had to do an assignment about all the different localisation techniques that are available at the moment,” Dr Bell said.

“There is a big shift globally to move away from hookwires to wire-free technologies.”

As part of her research into available technologies, Dr Bell attended an education day and watched via cameras set up in an operating theatre as surgeons used the SCOUT technology.

Traditionally, a fine wire was inserted into the breast lump on the day of surgery to show surgeons its location. With SCOUT technology, patients will be able to have a tiny implant inserted directly into the breast lump several days ahead of surgery, or even before they commence chemotherapy.

Dr Bell said the SCOUT technology would alleviate some of the surgery booking challenges to align a radiology appointment on the same day as surgery.

“Using wire-free technology means we don’t have to put the localisation technique in on the day of surgery; it can be done in advance, which opens up a lot more availability for surgery,” Dr Bell said.

“It’s a lot less stressful for the patient. It’s also more comfortable because the patient just has a little clip put in. You can’t feel it once it’s in place and it can’t be dislodged.

“The little clips we insert are about a centimetre in size. We use a probe that picks up the signal from the SCOUT and tells us, in millimetres, how far away we are from it,” Dr Bell said.

“With hookwires, you never know if the wire has moved since it was inserted and if the information that you’re relying on remains correct.

“It means we can perform a more accurate resection of the cancer and take out less of the healthy tissue and it hopefully also means less need for a second surgery.

“I think this is going to be a real game changer.”

When Mary Basham found a breast lump during a routine self-examination, she knew she needed to act quickly.  The 64-year-old mum-of-two and grandmother-of-three, who has worked as a nurse for 42 years, is encouraging all women to schedule in regular mammograms and self-examinations, and to be proactive in seeking help and treatment if they find any lumps or notice any breast changes.

“It’s really important to check yourself and to have regular mammograms, especially once you’re over 40, or if you’ve got a history of breast cancer in your family,” Mary said.

“I found a lump in my breast in 2019, and it came back positive for cancer.”

After consulting with the surgeon at Ipswich Hospital, the decision was made for Mary to undergo a mastectomy.

“The mastectomy was all done within about a month – they were very quick. I had lymph node biopsies done at the same time and luckily, they all came back clear.”

In September this year, Mary will celebrate five years cancer free and credits the incredible doctors, nurses and staff at Ipswich Hospital.

“A five-year survival rate is a big thing. The next one will be 10 years. I’ve got to be on hormone tablets to reduce my estrogen which causes some other side effects, but the main thing is, I’m here to tell the story.

“Everyone’s been wonderful. From the doctor to the breast care nurses to the staff in the ward, staff in theater … they’ve all been brilliant.  The team’s been fantastic!”

Though the cancer is gone, Mary said the experience was an incredibly emotional one, and that some fear of it returning still hangs over her. When asked what advice she would give to other women, Mary says she’d encourage everyone to schedule regular mammograms.

Breast Screen Queensland Ipswich Service offers free breast screening for women 40 years and over, with women aged 50 to 74 recommended to screen every two years.

“I’d tell women to make sure they know when their last mammogram was and to have one regularly. I thought it had only been two or three years since my last one and it was actually six years.

“It was just that I found quite a large lump one day and thought, ‘that feels a bit strange’, that I knew there was anything wrong.

“We sometimes, in our busy lives, forget to do these things. Time goes so fast and suddenly it’s six years later.

“I’d say just be proactive in looking for it. It’s all for your own good.”

To book a breast screen, call 13 20 50 or visit www.breastscreen.qld.gov.au

Breast cancer can affect anyone, at any age, and at any stage of life. Often considered a ‘women’s disease’, breast cancer also affects around 1 per cent of Australian males.

Breast cancer survivor, Trevor Roberts, shares his story to raise awareness.

For Trevor Roberts, a highly respected and well-known Sensei who travels the world teaching karate, receiving a breast cancer diagnosis following the discovery of a strange lump under his nipple came as a huge shock.

Trevor is a Sensei with more than 50 years’ experience, competing and coaching karate at some of the highest levels of the sport.  He is sharing his story in the hope that other men will understand that breast cancer is a disease that can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, fitness level, or lifestyle. He is keen to encourage all men to check themselves regularly, and hopes that by speaking out, he can help remove some of the stigma men face after a breast cancer diagnosis.

In November 2023, Trevor visited his doctor to check a lump under his nipple that had been there for about six months.

“I walked in there and the doctor straight away said I’d better get a scan,” Trevor said.

The scan showed that the lump was an invasive carcinoma. Trevor then underwent medical tests including dye injections, a PET scan, and a mammogram.

While regular mammograms and breast screens are not recommended for men due to the relatively rare incidence of male breast cancer, Trevor is urging everyone, male and female, to remain vigilant and get any lumps or symptoms checked by a doctor straight away.

Trevor credits his son and daughter with being incredibly supportive during his breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatments.

“My daughter has been an absolute tower of strength.  When you’re there and the doctor’s talking to you, you walk out and think, ‘What did he say?’ because you’re in shock. I’m lucky that my daughter took everything in for me.”

Following surgery at Ipswich Hosptial to remove the tumor, Trevor decided to go ahead with an overseas trip that he’d planned but was forced to rush home to Australia just a few days later when his wound became severely infected.

“I’m not sure what happened, but after four or five days, it (the wound site) just felt really heavy and was hurting badly. I called my daughter and said ‘I need to come home. I’m dying’.

“My temperature blew out to 112 (44 degrees Celsius) so I flew back to Australia and went straight into emergency at Ipswich Hospital.”

Once the infection was under control, Trevor then had a further operation to remove a lymph node, followed by months of chemotherapy and radiation.

Trevor said the moment his oncologist told him he was cancer free was an incredibly emotional and joyful one.

“She said, ‘You’re cancer free now,’ and I just fell to the floor. My knees went and I had tears rolling down, and the two nurses were crying as well. I was trying to hold it together, and I couldn’t. It was just unbelievable.”

Trevor said another incredibly emotional and moving experience was taking part in a walk for breast cancer with his family and clubmates, along with 22,000 other participants.

While he is still regaining his health, it hasn’t stopped him getting back into fighting shape and running his full-time karate business, Shotokan Karate Budokai.

“I have had some guys come up to me and say, ‘Are you a bit embarrassed about having breast cancer?’ And I say, ‘No. It just so happened that I had too much estrogen in my body’.

“I’ve stood in front of all the classes here and said, ‘Guys, check yourself, ladies as well’, and I’ve had a couple of ladies and young girls tell me they’ve found a lump, and they’ve gone and checked it out.

“All the guys in the club – they all check themselves now.”

As well as being a strong and influential advocate for men’s breast health, Trevor is also fundraising this October with the sale of limited-edition pink karate belts, with proceeds going to fund breast cancer research.

On Sunday 28 July, Ipswich Hospital Foundation’s iconic annual fun run, Park2Park presented by University of Southern Queensland, celebrated two decades of bringing together the community for a day of fun, fitness and fundraising to support West Moreton Health, $30,000 for local healthcare initiatives.

More than 1,300 participants gathered at Limestone Park to walk, run, jog or stroll the 10km, 5km & Kid’s Challenge courses, with many fundraising in the weeks leading up to the event. Funds raised from Park2Park will help West Moreton power innovative medical equipment, boost health promotion initiatives, enhance patient and support persons’ care, and drive local research and innovation. that benefits the entire West Moreton community. As well as celebrating 20 years as an integral part of the city’s event calendar, this year’s Park2Park was an opportunity to acknowledge some extraordinary achievements, and to shine a light on the community’s generosity and support.

There was a lot to celebrate at this year’s event; the dedicated runners who’ve participated in every Park2Park since it started in 2005, the incredible volunteers who so kindly donated their time and hard work, and of course the incredible and generous individuals and teams who have worked non-stop to fundraise and make a positive impact in the community.

CleanCo, the Silver Partner for the 2024 Park2Park, raised a whopping $5,125 in funds, with CleanCo team member, Eric Blashak, raising $2,095 of that total and taking out the top Individual Fundraiser award.  CleanCo fundraising team captain, Nathan Lawley, who has been involved in Park2Park for the past four years with his family, said the event as a great way for the CleanCo team to bond in a fun, social setting.

“It’s always a really great family event and I knew there’d be some guys at work attending with their own families, so it seemed like a good opportunity to bring us together outside the workplace, and raise money for a really good cause,” Nathan said.

“The team has had a great day out, and lots of them have said they’re keen to do this again.”

Nine-year-old Hugo Pisani from The Springfield Anglican College came in second on the fundraising leaderboard, raising an impressive $1,332, and in third place on the leaderboard was Lyle Chapman who raised an incredible $1,189.

CleanCo was awarded top fundraising team, followed by The Springfield Anglican College with $2.333 and the Fassifern Fangs raising $1,797.

UniSQ, Park2Park’s Presenting Partner, got the crowd pumped up ahead of the 5km and Kid’s Challenge with fun onstage warmups and exercises. The university team also offered free health checks to all attendees as well as information on study paths and courses.

Longtime local runners Rob Richards, Graham Phillips and Keith Slater were inducted into the 20-year Champions Club, making them the only three people to take part in every Park2Park event since it commenced in 2005, while another 16 runners were inducted into the 10-year Champions Club.

20-Year Champions Club inductees Graham Phillips, Rob Richards and Keith Slater

20-year Champions Club inductee, Rob Richards, has been a Park2Park enthusiast since the event’s inaugural event and was pleased to be back today.  Rob, who has completed 27 marathons around the world, including all six of the world majors, said Park2Park was one of the toughest but best courses he’s run.

“I’ve taken part every year because Park2Park is such a big part of the local community,” Rob said.

“Seeing all the people out here for Park2Park, it’s an amazing atmosphere, and it wouldn’t happen without Ipswich Hospital Foundation and the work they do.”

Tim Franklin, known as the man who ran around the world, (also known as Australia’s Forrest Gump), who has recently completed an epic journey around the globe, spanning five continents, 19 countries, and clocking up almost 27,000 kilometres over 576 days, made a special appearance at the event.

After running the 10km course, Tim chatted with fans, helped present Club Champion awards, and spoke about his incredible journey around globe to raise funds for charity.

Mayor Teresa Harding presented Ipswich Hospital Foundation with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of Ipswich City Council, congratulating Park2Park on 20 years and thanked the Foundation for its ongoing work and dedication to raising vital funds to support and boost healthcare in the West Moreton Region.

IHF CEO Scott Young with Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding

Hannah Bloch, Chief Executive of West Moreton Health, also spoke to the crowd about the importance of fundraising and the positive impact it makes for the region’s rapidly growing population.

Park2Park’s Supporting Partners, Bank of Queensland Ipswich Riverlink, Club Services Ipswich, Ipswich City Council and Cityhope Church hosted stalls in the Park2Park Mall with giveaways and competitions.

Ipswich Hospital Foundation’s (IHF) Chief Executive Officer, Scott Young, said that the incredible fundraising efforts by Park2Park participants had seen close to $30,000 raised for health and medical advancements and care in the West Moreton region.

“This achievement highlights the generosity of our community, who embraced the significant changes we made to Park2Park this year,” Mr Young said.

“Their individual and team contributions and donations, and the incredible effort so many people have made to raise funds through their individual Park2Park pages, is a testament to how fantastic and supportive the West Moreton community is.

“Every dollar raised at Park2Park makes a big impact and means that IHF had been able to help support hospitals and health centres across the region including Ipswich, Gatton, Laidley, Esk and Boonah.”

Check out all the info and updates from Park2Park 2024 here.

Donations for Park2Park will be open until 16 August 2024. visit www.park2park.com.au to make your impact.

PRESENTING PARTNER

SILVER PARTNER

SUPPORTING PARTNERS