Farmers, agronomists and industry are warmly invited to the annual Wimmera Pulse Field Day on Wednesday 22 October at Kewell hosted by Agriculture Victoria in partnership with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

Horsham SmartFarm research agronomist Ash Wallace said the annual field day is an industry networking opportunity not to be missed. ‘Come and see our trials in lentil, field pea, chickpea and faba bean, and hear the latest in pulse research and emerging pulse protein market opportunities,’ Ash said.

‘Growers will be excited to see new large-seeded lentil variety releases from the National Lentil Breeding Program and Grains Innovation Australia and learn how to manage problem weeds in pulse crops.’ ‘You’ll also get fresh updates on sowing times, faba bean and lentil nutrition and agronomy know-how to support pulse performance and profitability.

The program features updates from industry experts including the Agriculture Victoria crop pathology team and Jason Brand, a pulse agronomist from Frontier Farming Systems. Birchip Cropping Group’s trial manager Kelly Angel and Faba Bean Australia’s breeder, Sam Catt will also be present to share National Variety Trials results.

Seed distributors, marketing and export experts will be on hand for current market information.
The free event starts at 9 am and will conclude at 1 pm with complimentary pulse-based morning tea and barbecue lunch available.
Location: 500m north of the intersection at Dimboola-Minyip Road and Keenan’s Road, Kewell. Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kbFsH4o8kKVaPbVx6

The first of 57 world-class NextGen Heavy Rescue Trucks (HRTs) is rolling out to VICSES units.

Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward last week visited the VICSES State Fleet Centre in Derrimut to inspect the new vehicles rolling off the conveyer belt, meet the staff building them, and remind Victorians to be prepared ahead of the upcoming storm season.

The Minister was joined by the new VICSES Chief Officer Operations, Alistair Drayton AFSM. Alistair is a deeply respected and accomplished leader, bringing over three decades of experience in emergency management both locally and overseas.

The NextGen HRT has a unique rescue body designed by a VICSES volunteer working group – it can transport five volunteers and up to 2000 kilograms of equipment to respond to road crash rescues, floods and storms.

It has enhanced ergonomic design, wind speed detection capability, dedicated storage for food and water on extended operations, a chainsaw workbench and locker storage for easy access to equipment.

The state government is backing local footy and netball clubs as they compete in finals, with grants to support more Victorians to play the sport they love close to home in regional Victoria.

Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence has announced that nine recipients will share in more than $1.5 million from the 2025-26 Country Football and Netball Program – as well as announcing a new round of grants has opened.

Developed in partnership with the AFL, AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria the program has invested more than $43 million and delivered more than 590 projects since 2005.

Minyip Recreation Reserve is set to receive a $250,000 investment to upgrade their oval lighting to competition-standard 100 lux LED which will be a major boost for the Minyip-Murtoa Burras Football Netball Club.

Deakin Recreation Reserve, home of the Shepparton Bears and Shepparton United Football Netball Clubs has also scored $133,000 to install new accessible and all-gender facilities to the change rooms.

Other successful grants include $220,000 at Agnes Brereton Reserve in Traralgon to install 200 lux LED lighting on the 10 netball courts and more than $242,000 for oval lighting upgrades at Cavendish Recreation Reserve in the state’s south west.

Applications for the new round of grants for the 2026-27 Country Football Netball Program close on 26 February 2026. Regional and outer metropolitan councils can apply for grants of up to $250,000 for sports infrastructure developments including court lighting upgrades, changeroom overhauls, new pavilions and more.

For the latest information and successful grant recipients visit sport.vic.gov.au.

Australians for Mental Health is urging all governments to take steps to slow climate change, after the first national climate risk assessment warned of the associated impacts on mental health. 

The assessment outlines how extreme heat, floods, bushfires, poor air quality and shifting disease patterns escalate health risks, including mental health and wellbeing.

“The mental health risk cannot be underestimated. When disasters pile on, so do the harms to people’s minds, families and communities. Climate policy is mental health policy, and the test now is whether governments move fast enough to protect people’s wellbeing,” Australians for Mental Health Executive Director Chris Gambian said.

“Too many Australians have faced climate disasters already. We need to ensure those communities have the support they need before and after these climate challenges. The right mental health action builds community resilience and disaster mitigation.”

The report also noted those who worked outside would be at greater risk from the changing climate, including the effects of extreme heat.

“Ensuring people have safe workplaces is critical. For those working in hotter conditions, we must make sure our workplace laws protect them, such as our farmers, tradies and construction workers.

“Mental health and wellbeing must be at the centre of everything we do; it is not just a health issue, it is fundamental to how we live, work and play.”

Australians for Mental Health has been calling for a national Wellbeing Commissioner and a Wellbeing Act to ensure all arms of government are accountable for ensuring their policy decisions don’t adversely affect mental health.

The grassroots organisation has also urged leaders and decision makers to invest in local places and programs long before clinical care is needed such as libraries, pools and community hubs that can also double as cooling, clean-air and recovery spaces.

New RMIT research shows participation in outdoor activities helps to overcome loneliness and improve connection among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women.  

The research, titled ‘Social, Accessible, Fun, and Equitable’ (SAFE), explored the challenges and benefits associated with outdoor participation, and found that outdoor activities significantly reduce feelings of isolation and foster a strong sense of belonging and connection within communities.

Lead researcher, Dr Ancy Gamage, said the findings shed a light on just how life-changing the impact of connecting through nature and activities could be, especially for CALD women who have had limited access to the Australian outdoors.

“Participation in outdoor activities empowers CALD women, providing them with opportunities to connect with their communities, share cultural experiences, and build confidence in an inclusive environment. This sense of belonging leads to positive interactions and stronger community ties, with some women going as far as leading outdoor activities within their communities,” Dr Gamage said.

The study found that engaging in outdoor activities also improved physical and mental health, enhanced social connections, and created opportunities for cultural exchange, with activities helping to build confidence, facilitate educational experiences about Australia’s diverse landscapes, and encourage a greater sense of empowerment and inclusion.

For example, one participant shared their personal experience of connection through custom.

“Just sharing our background, also learning from another (Australian) nationality. We shared everything about our coffee ceremony…where we show them (the outdoor leaders) our culture,” they said.

Other participants spoke about reduced anxiety through mindfulness in nature, and the joy of engaging in cultural events outdoors, which nurture a deeper sense of connection and belonging.

“Engaging in these activities breaks down barriers, helping CALD women embrace outdoor leisure and feel comfortable taking part. Importantly, it moves them away from the dominant perception of the outdoors being a white, masculine and able-bodied space,” Dr Gamage said.

The research identified a range of actions for industry organisations to support CALD women to engage in outdoor spaces and activities, including:

• engaging community organisations to deliver culturally relevant outdoor activities
• supporting local equipment borrowing schemes, such as helmets
• providing multilingual signage and comprehensive safety information to be inclusive of a broader range of languages
• adapting existing outdoor activities to meet religious, cultural and practical needs of CALD women.

“By implementing community-based initiatives and supporting culturally relevant programming, we hope we can inspire greater participation and promote long-term community integration,” Dr Gamage said.

This research was funded by the Victorian Government, through the Change Our Game Research Grants Program, and undertaken by RMIT University in collaboration with Out Doors Inc.

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is urging motorists to avoid driving tired these school holidays, as the number of lives lost on the state’s roads continues to climb.
TAC CEO Tracey Slatter today reminded Victorians to plan ahead before taking to the road during the holiday period, which starts next week.
So far this year, 211 lives have been lost on Victorian roads – nine more than the same time last year – with 112 of those fatalities happening on regional roads.
The TAC is reminding motorists to slow down, take breaks, avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, wear a seatbelt and put their phone away. There will be a particular focus on tired driving as Victorians plan road trips across the state to make the most of warmer spring weather.
Driving tired is a factor in an estimated 16 to 20 per cent of all fatal crashes in Victoria, and accounts for approximately 25 per cent of road trauma injuries at The Alfred and Royal Melbourne hospitals.
Recent TAC research revealed that 60 per cent of people admitted to driving while ‘quite tired’, while 21 per cent admitted to driving ‘very tired’ to the point where they struggled to keep their eyes open. Falling asleep behind the wheel for just four seconds while travelling at 100km/h means a car will travel 111 metres without control. That’s about the same as 24 car lengths.
To avoid driving tired, motorists should ensure they get a good night’s sleep before starting their journey, allow plenty of travel time, plan a break from the road every two hours, avoid distractions and swap drivers if possible.
“Fatigue is a major contributor to road trauma, particularly when people are travelling long distances on regional roads,” Ms Slatter said.
“We encourage drivers to take a break from the road every two hours, share the driving where possible, and slow down and enjoy the drive. Getting to your destination later than planned is better than not arriving at all,” she said.
To help travellers reach their destinations safely, the TAC is extending its Pause Stop Program into 15 Visitor Information Centres through its renewed partnership with the Victoria Tourism Industry Council. These centres provide motorists with a range of resources to plan a safe journey and activities to entertain the kids, while also encouraging motorists to enjoy the local attractions each region has to offer.
The TAC facilitates training of Visitor Information Services employees to become effective front-line community ambassadors and deliver Pause Stop initiative messages to the community.
“Visitor Information Centres play a vital role in supporting safe and enjoyable travel across Victoria,” Victoria Tourism Industry Council CEO Lisa Patroni said.
“Clearly signposted along major highways, these centres offer valuable resources for motorists, including children’s activity packs and local travel advice—encouraging drivers to take regular breaks and explore the best our regions have to offer,” she said.
Visit www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/pausestop for more information on Pause Stop and Driver Reviver locations.

The cost of living for families will ease with the provision of prep students with the tools to kickstart their love of reading and learning with a bag full of free, engaging and fun books. 

Prep Bags in 2026 will include five children’s books, selected by a panel of experts, to spark a lifelong love of reading and to lift students’ literacy outcomes. Each Prep student will receive:

• Chooks in Dinner Suits – written by Diane Jackson Hill and illustrated by Craig Smith
• The Concrete Garden – written and illustrated by Bob Graham
• Frank’s Red Hat – written and illustrated by Sean E Avery
• The Bin Monster – written by Annabelle Hale
• Sharing – written by Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson and illustrated by Leanne Mulgo Watson

The books will also be produced in Braille, with tactile illustrations by the statewide Vision Resource Centre to support students who are blind. This will make sure every young learner can follow the stories.

Research shows how important it is for parents and carers to regularly read aloud to young children, particularly as they move from kindergarten to primary school and adjust to the next phase in their learning.

By reading together, families can help children to expand their vocabulary, make connections between spoken and written words, and strengthen the bond they share with their children.

First launched in 2019, the Books in Prep Bags initiative supports children’s literacy by giving families access to high-quality stories suitable for children aged four to six. More than 2.2 million books have been delivered through the initiative so far.

The Prep Bag books are selected by a panel of experts each year with titles chosen to appeal to a broad range of Victorian children and families.

The state government is opening doors to build thousands more homes right across Victoria – unlocking development in Melbourne’s north and inviting locals to have their say on more housing in Warrnambool and Ballarat.

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny has approved the Greenvale North (Part 2) Precinct Structure Plan, paving the way for more than 300 new homes for more than 1,000 residents – with the new neighbourhood set to seamlessly connect with the surrounding communities of Greenvale North and Craigieburn West.

The suburb will include new local parks, community facilities, walking and cycling links, and open space that reflects the area’s landscape and heritage.

The new residents will be well connected to transport, with the first upgrade to Mickleham Road already slashing congestion and the next stage on its way. From next month, the bus Route 543 will also be extended to Greenvale North and with an extra 183 new services every week– with buses to run every 20 minutes during the peak.

At the same time, communities in Warrnambool and Ballarat are being invited to have their say on draft Precinct Structure Plans that will deliver more than 10,000 new homes and more than 1500 local jobs.

The Ballarat North Precinct Structure Plan proposes to build around 5,600 new homes and support 1,050 jobs – with everything families need close to home including two new government primary schools, a secondary school, two community facilities, local sporting reserves, and spaces for shops and dining.

The plan also complements recent upgrades to the Western Freeway and Midland Highway, which are already improving connections across Ballarat and to Melbourne.

The East of Aberline Precinct Structure Plan in Warrnambool proposes 4,500 new homes and 550 jobs, along with sporting reserves, a new neighbourhood centre, and more than 13 hectares of local parkland.

It will build on recent road improvements to Aberline Road and Horne Road, ensuring new neighbourhoods are connected to Warrnambool’s CBD, train station and services.

Consultation for the draft plans will open on Friday, 19 September – community members will be able to view the draft plans and make a submission via the Engage Victoria website.

The Greenvale North (Part 2) Precinct Structure Plan forms part of the government’s 10-year greenfields plan – providing the space and completing the planning work to deliver 180,000 new homes over the next decade.

With rain and warmer temperatures heading into spring, sheep producers will need to keep flystrike prevention front of mind.
Agriculture Victoria Livestock Extension Officer Brittany Price said producers should plan ahead to implement flystrike prevention and control programs to assist in managing the disease.
FlyBoss is a free website resource that provides producers with specific tools for flystrike control.
Ms Price said these controls include shearing or crutching, breech modification, selective breeding, dag management, and preventative chemical treatment.
‘The FlyBoss website allows producers to compare their current management system with an alternative system taking into account their location.
‘This can help inform decision making in relation to the dates of shearing and crutching, and preventative treatment application.
‘During high-risk periods producers must inspect their stock regularly to identify and treat any fly struck sheep.’
Flystrike in sheep can show up as restlessness, loss of appetite, a strong smell, and visible maggots in the wool.
The following treatment method is recommended for fly struck sheep:
1. shear struck wool and a 5 cm barrier of clean wool around the strike close to the skin to remove maggots
2. collect the maggot-infested wool into a maggot-proof (plastic) bag and leave the bag in the sun for a couple of days to kill all maggots
3. apply a registered flystrike dressing to the shorn area to prevent re-strike
4. remove struck sheep from the mob and place in an isolation paddock and monitor (stuck sheep attract more blowflies)
5. cull struck sheep from breeding programs.
Ms Price said if treatment is not a viable option, humane euthanasia must be carried out.
‘As with all veterinary treatments, it is essential to observe the withholding period and keep accurate records of any treatments administered.’
For further information on the management and treatment of flystrike please visit: www.flyboss.com.au
To find information about available drought support visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.

$48.1 million has been allocated through the latest round of the Public Libraries Funding Program to promote education and innovation among young Victorians.

The program was established to provide annual funds for councils, regional library corporations, Connected Libraries Ltd, My Community Library Ltd, Your Library Ltd and Vision Australia, and supports a range of essential community activities and services delivered every day across 293 branches statewide.

This includes everything from physical and electronic collection of items, information technology facilities, delivery of library and outreach programs, and the raft of other services provided by public libraries across Victoria.

Libraries are no longer a place just for borrowing books. They are places where the community can access e-resources, wifi, computers, meeting rooms, art spaces, and diverse child, youth, and adult programs

Public libraries are vibrant community hubs that offer a safe space for social interaction, digital connection, lifelong learning and rich, cultural experiences.

For more information on the program, visit Public Libraries Funding Program.

The state government is supporting people experiencing drug and alcohol addiction with the expansion of Arrow Health’s rehabilitation clinic in Woodend.

Minister for Health and Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas visited the clinic which now has an additional eight beds and 55 staff for the care and treatment of patients.

Supported by a $600,000 investment, the $2.1 million expansion will allow Arrow Health to deliver more of its essential services to help people affected by addiction and their families.

The project featured the construction of a rehabilitation cottage, upgrades to carparking and ambulance access, and the refurbishment of existing rooms, more than doubling annual in-patient treatment capacity to approximately 240 and out-patient care from 80 to approximately 180 patients each year.

The expansion has led to new jobs for doctors, nurses, therapists and facilities-support staff, and has allowed Arrow Health to boost the engagement of locally contracted allied health professionals, such as nutritionists and physical therapists, and support services in food, transport and maintenance.

Our alcohol and drug treatment and support system helps around 40,000 substance-dependant Victorians annually.

Arrow Health Private Hospital was founded in 2014, after now-CEO Toby Lawrence’s experiences with addiction in his family. The hospital clinic provides in-house care and treatment for patients experiencing addiction, out-patient follow-up care and treatment, and support and counselling for families.

As temperatures rise, snakes become more active, emerging from a period of reduced activity to seek food and mates. While they may be more visible, snakes generally pose little danger to people when left alone.

 Lachlan Clarke, Manager Statewide Wildlife Advisory Services at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) said: “Most snake bites occur when people try to capture or kill them.”

“The most effective way to stay safe is to simply leave them alone. This includes keeping pets on leads in areas where snakes are known to occur,” he said.

Remember:

• Keep your yard tidy, clear away clutter like timber piles and rocks.
• Supervise pets, keep dogs on a lead and watch pets closely in high-risk areas. If you suspect a bite, seek immediate veterinary care.
• Dress for the occasion, when out walking, wear long pants and proper shoes.
• Don’t try to catch or harm a snake. Call a licensed snake catcher instead.
• In the case of a bite, call 000 immediately.

Snakes are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975, and capturing, harming, or killing them is illegal.

You can report wildlife crime to Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000.

For more information contact DEECA on 136 186.

For essential snake bite first aid information, visit www.stjohnvic.com.au/news/snake-bite-first-aid-tips/

More homes for woman and children at risk of homelessness are being made available.

Minister for Housing and Building Harriet Shing recently marked the ‘topping out’ of a new building on Essex Street, Prahran – celebrating the completion of the main structure before families move in next year.

Once finished, the projects will deliver 155 new, modern and energy efficient homes through a partnership between Homes Victoria and not-for-profit group Building Communities. The homes are replacing 63 outdated homes and the site has a 37 per cent increase in social housing.

Essex Street will include 86 social homes dedicated for women and children experiencing financial instability, homelessness or escaping family violence, managed by Women’s Property Initiative. The remainder of the homes are a mix of affordable and market housing, managed by Community Housing Limited.

The site at Essex Street will have a café, garden and picnic area, and is close to trams along both Malvern Road and High Street, as well as schools, jobs and services.

The project is being delivered under the innovative Ground Lease Model, with Homes Victoria leasing the land to Building Communities to build, manage and maintain the homes for 40 years while the land remains in public ownership.

The latest round of the Wildlife Rehabilitator Grants program – which supports wildlife shelter operators and foster carers with up to $3000 – has been handed out.

More than $310,000 has been invested in 150 wildlife shelter operators and foster carers across the state to fund wildlife enclosures, medication, feed, rescue equipment, veterinary fees, education and training.

Some of the recipients include Our Haven Wildlife Shelter, which received funding to be an enclosure for wombat rehabilitation, and Melaleuca Wildlife Shelter, which will be able to be buy transportation equipment and a portable incubator for microbats.

Amaroo Wildlife Shelter will receive funding to build an aviary for possums and birds, while Marlo Wildlife Shelter can now expand an enclosure for kangaroo joeys and purchase feed and medication.

These grants recognise the important role of wildlife rehabilitators, through dedicating their own time and money to rehabilitate injured or displaced wildlife and release them back into the wild.

This follows bushfires from the first half of 2025 which had substantial impacts on Koalas and other native wildlife, in Budj Bim National Park a direct investment of $1 million is helping to revegetate land in and around the 2,200 hectare park.

Funding will deliver revegetation of koala habitat, planting of Manna Gum saplings and invasive weed management to support natural regrowth.

Across Victoria, the Government’s BushBank program is restoring at least 20,000 hectares of habitat with thousands of trees to be planted in koalas habitat in the Hume, Loddon Mallee and Grampians regions –  providing new habitat for koalas years to come.

The Local has been shortlisted for two awards in the 2025 Victorian Country Press Awards.

Photographer Kyle Barnes has been shortlisted for Best News Story for his photo of The Barefoot Barber.

Jobbo, formerly Neil Jobson but now mostly answering to just the nickname, has been known in the region for a long time as an artisan builder who sought out recycled products for his work.

But like many people, he wanted a change. One where he still worked for himself but out of the construction game. And it happened like magic.

Jobbo popped into a barber in Daylesford for a haircut one day a few years back and was offered a job by the owner, Lesley.

“I’d never cut hair before but I like doing new things. I just said, ‘yeah I’ll cut  people’s hair’, and then I realised I really liked it.”

Jobbo kept working and then went to barber college, as he called it, for one year  and then opened up his own barber shop. At home. The Barefoot Barber.  (Although he did briefly have to return to building, to create his own very  “recycled and rustic yet warm and inviting” studio in Coomoora.)

“I love it. I genuinely love it,” he says.  “I like the creativity. I like the connection. I like the conversation.”

Meanwhile, editor Donna Kelly has been shortlisted for Best Editorial/Opinion. One of her submitted pieces was about the importance of breast checks. See below.

The awards will be announced at the VCPA Conference in Yarrawonga on Friday, October 24.

“Hello ladies, it’s time to talk about the ladies.

Are you up to date with your breast checks? I am. Just now. What a journey – and  I hate that word.

Started quite a few years back. I had a bit of a lump and had a mammogram done at St John of God. And then an ultrasound and then a biopsy. Waited for the news and all clear. Just something fibrous. Happy days.

But the surgeon said I had dense breasts, like my mind most days now, and I should have a check every year. Which meant I had to keep going back to St John of  God and paying the big bucks. But all good for health.

Anyway, last year I got caught up with life and missed my annual check. So this year I take my referral to St John of God and the receptionist asks me if I have any  symptoms.

No, I say. So she says I should go to BreastScreen Victoria because it will be free and otherwise I am out of pocket about $500.  Hmmm.

So I made an appointment in Ballarat for the following week but then I saw a post somewhere that the mobile bus was in Daylesford and had some spare spots. So I booked for the next day – just popped up to Vic Park. Easy peasy.

All very professional. Nice staff and nurse.

Three weeks later the email arrived saying I had to go back – to Ballarat this time – for follow-up testing. Bring a book, they said. So I made a booking for the following  Wednesday, their follow-up day, and that was an eye-opener.

I was one of the first to arrive and the second last to leave so I saw a lot. Once you are checked in you go into a main waiting room and then into an adjoining dressing room and change into a gown for the top part. Then you go back into the waiting  room and wait.

The lucky ones go off for another mammogram and come back, get changed, and head off to enjoy their day. Follow up done. All clear.

Others, like me, get that bit done and then are told they need a follow-up ultrasound. So you wait.

Meanwhile, the room is filling up, with one chatty volunteer, and women in different stages of distress, all cracking hardy. One woman showed off a bruised breast from biopsies from the previous week.

Anyway, a nurse arrives and it’s my turn for the ultrasound. Ultrasounds are easy compared to mammograms. I don’t know who invented mammograms but I am betting it was a bloke. If it was the same test for balls I reckon the death rate from testicular cancer would skyrocket.

You undress, step forward to the bottom plate, put your boob on it, with a helping hand from the radiologist, then it is smoothed out. Your right arm goes above the machine, your feet face the other way, your bum needs to stick out the back a bit and your face needs to be clear of the machine.

And then they lower the top plate  and squash your boob flat. Trapped.

Sometimes they head off to hit the switch with a cheery “don’t move” as if you could.  So, ultrasound done and the staffer says she will just find a doctor to check the results. He comes back with her and says he is pretty positive it is nothing. But pretty  positive is not good enough.

So it’s time for a biopsy. Well, that afternoon. I arrived  at 11am and it’s now about 12.30pm. Biopsies start at 2.30. I am told I can go get lunch but I am not hungry now. I wish I had brought that book.

At one stage I get dressed and go and sit in the car and play solitaire for a bit.  Then I go back and it’s time for the biopsy. Not much fun there. But oddly the only painful thing is the anaesthetic, whose only purpose is to stop pain.

I am back in the mammogram room where I get settled in a wheelchair and pushed to the machine. Breast in, plate down, then anaesthetic, I might have sworn a bit, then a sound like a sewing machine and six samples are taken.

I get given some ice, in the finger of a blue glove, to stop the bruising, but have to break the news that I didn’t bother with a bra – not really since 2020.

The nurse  decides to use a body bandage to pop it in place and we are done. A week later, I have  a phone chat, because I have the flu, and all is clear. Benign. Calcifications all gone.  See you in two years. Happy sounding surgeon. All good. Yay.

But the main part is that these calcifications, which can indicate cancer, cannot  be felt. They are tiny. Only a mammogram would pick them up. So that is why self  checks are not enough.

Every two years, get your breasts checked. And if they had found cancer, it would have been so early all would have been well. I hope.

Also, I would like to give a big thumbs up to BreastScreen Victoria. They are  totally professional but also everyone was so very kind. I felt like I was being held in a  big warm hug all the way through. Supported and cared for from the first visit at Vic Park right through that day and then the results.

I hope all the other women got good results like me but you know someone from that day is probably reeling now. I am thinking about you and the journey (that word) you are about to go on. Hope you are OK and have friends and family to lean on. Take care of you. Hugs. Just sayin’… ”