NSW Aboriginal Cancer Strategy
Aboriginal people are the first peoples of Australia and have strong cultures and communities.
The Cancer Institute NSW is committed to achieving health equity for Aboriginal peoples in NSW and supporting cancer services to respond to the needs and aspirations of Aboriginal people.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Countries throughout NSW and Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present and acknowledge their unwavering pursuit of self-determination and sovereignty of land that has never been relinquished.
We also acknowledge that the information presented in this report reflects the real-life experiences of Aboriginal individuals, families and communities. We extend our respect to those individuals who are referenced in this report and thank the Aboriginal people who generously shared their personal stories with us.
The artwork featured in this Strategy is by Dennis Golding. The artwork illustrated reflects the Cancer Institute NSW; how it collaborates and shares values with other networks to foster greater knowledge, awareness and success of health services for Australian Indigenous communities.
Acknowledgement of lived experience
The below story is based on a collection of experiences gathered from a Birpai Yarning Session, led by Strong Spirit Services.
Hearing the words “you have cancer” is more than a diagnosis. It brings to the surface generations of fear, mistrust and isolation that run deep within our community.
Our first thought is usually “I’m dying”. That’s because we all know someone who heard those words too late and left us too soon.
In our community, family support is our backbone. There’s no way we could go through cancer alone. Our kin are the ones who are there with us every step of the way.
But the journey isn’t just hard on the person who is sick. It takes a huge toll on the loved ones too and they deserve much more recognition and support than they get. They carry so much of the burden, often in silence.
The lack of trust between our community and mainstream healthcare fuels our fear and anxiety. We’re worried about whether the system truly understands or can meet our cultural needs.
Some families know people who work in the health system. They’re fortunate to have someone who can help translate the medical talk and smooth out such an overwhelming experience. But we all need and deserve the same level of access to information and support.
It also feels like we just don’t hear enough about cancer screening and early detection. We need more proactive health messages, shared by our own mob, to educate and empower us as a community.
There also needs to be consideration into the social determinants of health, like access to education, which play a huge part in our wellbeing.
We need more Aboriginal-led activities, where our own people are building and driving services that truly meet our needs.
Our reflections don’t start with hearing the words “you have cancer”. It’s the experiences of multiple generations that are still impacting us today.
Hopefully, through communication and sharing, we can change the experience for the generations of tomorrow.
Strong Spirit Services
Aboriginal Cancer Support Group.
Delivering the Strategy
The Strategy is structured around three strategic goals:
- Goal A: Continuum of care across the cancer ecosystem
- Goal B: Enhancing capabilities to deliver better cancer outcomes
- Goal C: Improving the development and delivery of service provision
Each goal includes strategic focuses, actions and measures across state, regional and local levels.
Symbol key
Strategic alignment
represents where this Strategy’s actions connect to activities within the four priorities of the NSW Cancer Plan 2022–2027.
links actions in this Strategy to the five areas of focus in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cancer Plan.
indicates where actions in this Strategy link to measures within either the five priorities or five directions of the NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024–2034.
Levels of activity
The focus areas group initiatives occurring at state, regional or local levels and these are represented by symbols.
is the state level symbol.
is the regional level symbol.
is the local level symbol.
Instruments and infrastructure
Each strategic focus includes activities categorised as either an instrument or infrastructure. Both are required in order to shape the NSW cancer ecosystem.
represents infrastructure – this relates to the people and processes with influence, such as networks, committees and community conversations.
represents instruments – this relates to the products and projects which contribute to communication and engagement, such as campaigns, support groups and events.
Cancer stories and statistics
Aboriginal people impacted by cancer are at the core of this Strategy. As such, their voices, lived experience and burden of cancer are represented throughout. These symbols within the Strategy link to the cancer stories and statistics in the Reporting for Better Cancer Outcomes Aboriginal People in NSW report.
is an opportunity to read a story of lived experience from an Aboriginal person impacted by cancer.
is an opportunity to learn more about cancer incidence and mortality, as well as cancer risk factors and prevention initiatives for Aboriginal people in NSW.
Download the NSW Aboriginal Cancer Strategy.
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