Breast Cancer: Taking Control: Farewell to Jane McGrath

Saturday 28 June 2008

Farewell to Jane McGrath

Jane McGrath's death from breast cancer highlighted the fact that people from all walks of life can be struck down from this dreaded disease. Jane was one of the seven women in Australia who die from breast cancer every single day. Jane has left a lasting legacy to support women with breast cancer through her rural breast care nurses' scholarships and supporters have rallied to contribute even further to help her cause.

Find out more about the foundation's work at http://www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au/

Women across the country have flooded the national breast screening line - phone 13 20 50 - no doubt, boosting this week's booking stats.

Last week Elisabeth (Liz) Black, our clinical services manager, finalised our own breast care nurse mentoring report to the Commonwealth. It was great to see that we have brought in more than 50 nurses (mainly from rural areas) to give them a one-week intensive at the BCI. Thanks to the many clinicians and staff who generously gave their time to support this program. The program is coming to an end but the BCI wants to continue this program, which showcases the fabulous cancer program at Sydney West Area Health Service.

John

PS: The mouth swab test reported in the New England Journal of Medicine this week is not a substitute for screening and is at the very least 10 years away from any practical implementation. One interview I did this week is highlighted at this link:

Mouth Swab press

About John Boyages

John Boyages, MB, BS (Hons), FRACR PhD is a cancer specialist with over 25 years’ experience in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. He is a busy clinician who cares for patients at Westmead public hospital and at the Hills Private and Sydney Adventist hospitals.

Following his training at the University of Sydney and a fellowship at Harvard Medical School under the direction of Professor Jay Harris, he was appointed as a specialist radiation oncologist at Westmead Hospital in 1989 and founded one of the largest free breast screening programs in the west of Sydney.

In 1995, he won a grant to establish and direct the NSW Breast Cancer Institute, which offers clinical care, research, education, and screening programs. The Institute is a research unit within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney, where John holds an academic Professorship.

He has published more than 130 research and clinical articles and is committed to the dissemination of research findings to lay and professional audiences both nationally and internationally. To that end, John has worked in partnership with Breast Cancer Action Group NSW, a patient advocacy group.

John performs numerous national roles in his field, and his current international roles include: member of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), member of the International Expert Advisory Panel for the Staging of Breast Cancer; invited research collaborator with the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) on hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer, member of the editorial board of the European Journal of Cancer, and Australia’s representative on the NCI’s International Cancer Screening Network.

In 2006, John received a national Medical Media Award for outstanding service to the media and the community, and in 2008 he was invited to become a media spokesperson for the National Breast Cancer Foundation in Australia.

In September 2010, he published his first book for patients called, Breast Cancer: Taking Control

Saturday 28 June 2008

Farewell to Jane McGrath

About John Boyages

John Boyages

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