Cancer just isn't trendy enough...

A new Bowel Cancer awareness advertisement is using a fictional terrorist scene to highlight the prevalence of the cancer in Australia.



The advertisement depicts scenes reminiscent to those of the 911 terrorist attacks, taking place over Sydney's Circular Quay, complete with smokey buildings, wailing sirens and body bags.

The voice over says: If 12 Australians were killed by terrorists it would be front page news. Yet 12 Australian men and women die from bowel cancer every single day. That’s more than breast cancer but no-one wants to talk about it, even though it’s curable if detected early.

(see full story: http://mumbrella.com.au/cancer-ad-features-terror-attack-on-sydney-14368#more-14368)

While this advertisement is set to be highly controversial - and clearly risks offending, distressing and angering anyone who has survived or lost loved ones to a terrorist attack - it has got people talking.

As a result, it's highlighted the fact that, as a nation, we seem to have become immune to the devastation that is cancer.

The figures are so astronomical, we barely give them a second thought.

They don't warrant much mention in the media, despite the fact that cancer is Australia's biggest killer.

Here are a few facts:

*More than 35,000 Australians die from cancer each year, in spite of a 30 percent improvement in survival over the last two decades.

*1 in 3 Australian men and 1 in 4 Australian women will be directly affected by cancer.

*Most people in Australia will be affected by cancer, either personally or through family and friends.

*This year alone, more than 82,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia.

If you stop and think about it, these figures are incredible.

I am one of those people who have been affected by cancer - I haven't been diagnosed with it myself - but people I know and love have.

Some have survived, others have not.

Those of you who have experienced the impact of cancer will know, it's one of the most terrifying and traumatic events you will ever endure.

But it seems we are no longer outraged by such tragedies.

When natural disasters occur, we rally together, have telethons and fundraising concerts - we all unite to raise millions of dollars for these far more trendy causes.

Indeed terrorism also provokes a similar response.

And so it should, this support provides much needed help to thousands of devastated families dealing with tragic events.

But cancer is also tragic, effecting everyone from babies and children to parents and friends.

It was not so long ago, our wish-giving foundations were forced to reduce the quality of the wishes granted, due to a lack of funding.

I have seen first hand the impact these wishes give and these charities are simply amazing, run mostly by volunteers.

We also know the survival rate for many common cancers has increased by more than 30 per cent in the past two decades, due to treatment improvements and new interventions brought about by research.

Research which is often funded by donations.

But the most important point is many of these cancers are curable if detected early enough. Yet few of us take the risk so seriously as to have regular checkups, deeming them too unpleasant.

The Bowel Cancer advertisement is certainly shocking, and I don't know that I support it, given the impact it must have on terrorism survivors and witnesses.

But perhaps the controversy will at least attract some much needed attention to one of Australia's biggest killers.

Skinny jeans and Shower Power - trespass magazine column

Twelve months ago, I was working full-time as a television reporter. I was into fashion, read books, loved music, discussed current affairs. I coloured my hair, wore a bikini, watched the news and looked forward to a good party.

I’ve since left my full-time gig in favour of freelance, to be home with my baby boy. Other than that, not much has changed… except maybe my comfort level in a bikini, and the frequency in which I attend said parties.

I have, of course, entered a new demographic. I’m now a mum, who happens to spend a lot more time at home. I still dress the same, think the same, crack the same jokes … yet when I flick on the telly I’m left wondering if I missed the part where new mums are required to enter a phone booth to be transformed into Mrs Brady.

Now I know most chick-flicks and TV dramas are full of yummy-mummies and ultra-cool mamas, but when it comes to commercials aimed at us real mums, it’s a different story. Clearly, mums are the target market for a lot of consumer goods, so there’s no shortage of ads, all aimed at the likes of me. Apparently.

Now I need Shower Power as much as the next mum, but when I watch these ads, it’s not me I see. I see a mumsy bunch, with matching pony tails, three quarter jeans and collared shirts.

Does giving birth and taking on a few home duties mean the end of skinny jeans, summer dresses and high heels?

But it’s not just the daggy dress code that leaves me cringing. I don't know about you other mums out there, but I don't use a magnifying glass to clean my toilet, and I don’t inwardly gloat when my friends use the bright white bowl.

I don’t use phrases like “not in my house” when I see finger prints on the stainless steel. And I do not feel smug about the mess my chicken stock meal has made (Tess and her REAL family I find particularly annoying!)

Don’t get me wrong, I wear trackies with the best of them. I cook, clean, compare nappy brands, even bake the odd batch of muffins - but I do it in my denim cutoffs listening to Groove Armada dammit.

And once it’s done I’m off to play with my son, or read a book, or call a friend, or go shopping. These ads would have you believe the sparkle of the shower floor is a daily highlight. And if a neighbour stops by and happens to witness the sparkle, well, even better!



Am I alone in my frustration, I wonder? Are my shiny bathroom taps really enough to make my friends green with envy? Do they watch these TV mums with an understanding nod, or find the stereotype as irritating as I do?

Do most mums spend their day worrying about that stain they saw on hubby’s shirt as he walked out the door? Or do they see the stain, deal with it and move onto more important things.

More likely, there’s no such thing as an average mum. At the end of the day, we’re all human.

Now - time to try that new stain remover.

(NB: This rant does not apply to nappy commercials to which I can easily relate and to which I have been know to shed the occasional tear)

Miracle babies even further out of reach...

The day my son was born, was the most magical, beautiful day of my life.

It was also a day I thought may never come.

Like around 10 per cent of Australian couples, my husband and I were faced with the prospect of perhaps never having children.

IVF was our best, and possibly only, chance at achieving a dream we’d had all our lives. And it gave us our beautiful baby boy.

But soon, many couples in a similar situation may not be so lucky.

Laws to cap the Medicare rebate for IVF are due to commence in January 2010, making the possibility of a life with children even more remote for thousands of middle class couples.

Currently, thanks to the Medicare Safety Net, couples are reimbursed 80 per cent of the actual cost of IVF treatment, leaving out of pocket expenses at around $2000 – give or take a few hundred.

And while this cost is often the only one referred to when the issue is discussed in the media, there are many other associated costs, such as on-going specialist fees, hospital fees and anesthetist fees. In my experience, out of pocket expenses were close to $5000.

As it is, this is not a small cost. And when you take into consideration that IVF can take several cycles, costs can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars.

With the introduction of these new laws, the rebates would be capped and this potential extra cost could determine whether or not some couples can continue or begin treatment.

IVF is an emotionally and physically draining experience and, for many couples, their only chance to have children of their own.

The feelings of women experiencing IVF have been compared to those suffering from a terminal illness.

Additional costs would place a significant financial strain on families who simply can not afford to pay thousands of dollars multiple times.

Some couples may simply have to forgo the treatment, taking away their only chance of experiencing the magic of children.

IVF is responsible for the birth of more than 10,000 babies in Australia every year - my son being just one of those babies.

He is our little miracle and the prospect of not having had the chance to have him does not bear thinking.

And like many families, IVF will most likely be our only chance to give him a little brother or sister.

But it’s not because I put my career first, left it too late and think the government should pay for the convenience of having children how and when I would like.

I had just turned 27 when I started my first cycle.

Infertility is a medical condition – 40 per cent relates to female issues, 40 per cent male factor and 20 per cent is unexplained.

Fortunately for us, our first cycle was also the only one, but many couples go through up to ten IVF cycles, sometimes more, before achieving a pregnancy.

The government says those whose treatment costs are $6000 or less per cycle should not be affected by these changes.

But in reality, many clinics charge closer to $8000 per cycle, meaning couples could be up to $2000 dollars worse off.

It’s a tough blow to families already dealing with one of the most difficult challenges of their life.

And sad to think this amazing gift will only be available to the wealthy.

Men behaving badly... but not really.

So the judge bought it.

Despite having previously been found guilty of recklessly wounding girlfriend Katie Milligan - and sentenced to a minimum of 8 months in jail - former NRL star Greg Bird has successfully convinced a judge that it was not he who was at fault, but his girlfriend.

His crazy, neurotic, drug-taking girlfriend - the one that suffered a fractured eye socket and cuts to her eye after being hit in the face with a glass.

She was irrational, you see. Drunk and high and furious after an earlier argument, she lunged at him with a glass, and somehow - he can't quite remember how - the glass smashed into her face.

This version of events comes more than a year after the incident took place. At the time, the pair blamed the glassing on Bird's then flat mate Brent Watson, who is yet to receive a public apology for the false accusation.

Still, the judge believed the latest version - or at least accepted it - and now Bird is on the hunt for a new NRL team. His conviction was quashed and Milligan was left to take the public image fallout (and appeared happy to do so).

Not that Bird was left high and dry after the initial charge - he's been captaining French side Catalans Dragons in the English Super League.

He's facing another assault charge after being accused of tipping a drink over a woman's head and punching her. But apparently he was just defending another woman.

Time will tell whether Bird's career will benefit as a result of the publicity and subsequent outcome of the trial.

It wouldn't be the first time.

Time after time, we hear of sportsmen behaving badly - often involving violence, sexual assault or drug and alcohol abuse. They might get suspended from a couple of games, some even get sacked from their team. But very rarely are their careers irreparably damaged. In fact, the opposite is usually true, with remaining teams often fighting over accused players.

When you think about the message this sends out, it's ironic that schools are now teaching boys that violence against women and sexual coercion is wrong.

A lesson that shouldn't need to be taught in 2009.

Australia pays a high price for cheap knock-offs

Most of us would have to admit to buying or at least eyeing off the odd piece of fake designer fashion.

Lets face it, places like Bali and Thailand are famous for their cheap knock-offs - most visitors allocate a whole day to heckling for a bargain.

But these days you don't even have to leave Australia - you can find a pretty good selection of counterfeit goods at your local market.

And it's not just desighner labels from far away places being copied - Australians are ripping off Australians in their own backyards.

But while most Aussies view these stalls as a great place to snare a bargain - it's more than just the owners of the genuine articles being impacted.

According to recent reports, counterfeiting robs Australia of more than $1 billion every year.

Firstly, it's a tax-free business funded by those of us who do pay tax.

Secondly, it costs Australian companies hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost business as well as fees paid to anti-counterfeit organisations and private detectives.

Not to mention the money spent on Copyright and Trademarks.

As well as the economic impact, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, "counterfeiters run illicit business in which criminal networks thrive."

According to the OECD's report:

"These illicit activities steal market share from legitimate businesses and undermine innovation, with negative implications for economic growth.

Bribery associated with counterfeiting and piracy weakens the effectiveness of public institutions at the expense of society at large.

Moreover, the savings that consumers may achieve by knowingly purchasing lower-priced counterfeit or pirated products need to be considered in a broader context. Depending on the product, consumers can be worse off."

Despite the negative impacts on Australia, little is being done by the government to eliminate what has become an increasingly widespread problem.

At the end of the day though it's all about supply and demand...and while we continue to save a few bucks on fakes, counterfeiting groups will continue to thrive - and we'll be the ones funding their tax-free lifestyle.

Queensland Needs Saving… by daylight.

This is not a new issue. It’s an old one, and one that never ceases to amaze me. Daylight Saving - why we don’t have it and why they say we don't need it.

Whenever the weather starts to heat up, I ask myself the same question. Why do Queenslanders have to miss out on enjoying longer days, more sunlight, more time outdoors and (slightly) darker mornings?

I understand that cattle and other animals aren't about to change their sleeping and feeding patterns to accommodate Daylight Savings, hence farmers are against pushing the clock forward.

But what about the rest of us? Personally I'm not opposed to splitting Queensland's time zones, if that's the only way the South East is able to align itself with the rest of the country.

Every year as the southern states leave us behind, I'm left wondering why we continue to resist an obvious lifestyle advantage.

Some parents have expressed concern that the extra daylight will mean children won’t want to go to bed.

Well I grew up in Melbourne where Daylight Savings has been part of life for some time now, and guess what? I went to bed at the usual time. I may not have wanted to, but bedtime was bedtime, regardless of the extra light.

Others claim the extra daylight increases the risk of UV exposure. Keeping your hat and sunscreen on for an extra hour should solve that problem.

Daylight Savings brings clear benefits, especially to families. It allows more time for working parents to play outdoors with their children, more time to exersise, be outside, enjoy the summer weather.

Not to mention the fact that most of Australia does in fact have Daylight Savings, meaning an hour of lost business for Queensland companies and SMEs. Either that or employees are forced to work Daylight Savings hours anyway.

Even wishing interstate family and friends Happy New Year becomes a maths challenge.

And when I go to Sydney next week, I'm going to lose an hour... oh well, at least I'll gain one coming back, even if it is already dark.