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The devastating way Shannen Doherty is preparing for death

<p>Shannen Doherty has shared the heart-breaking way she is preparing for her death. </p> <p>The former actress, who is battling stage 4 breast cancer, has candidly shared how she is cleaning out her home and downsizing her possessions to make for an “easier transition” for her mum, Rosa, when she dies.</p> <p>“My priority at the moment is my mum,” the actress said during an episode of her <em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-be-clear-with-shannen-doherty/id1718531401" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Let’s Be Clear</a></em><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-be-clear-with-shannen-doherty/id1718531401" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> podcast</a>. “I know it’s going to be hard on her if I pass away before her.”</p> <p>She continued, “Because it’s going to be so hard on her, I want other things to be a lot easier. I don’t want her to have a bunch of stuff to deal with. I don’t want her to have four storage units filled with furniture.”</p> <p>The 52-year-old explained that over the years, she started going through her belongings to get rid of unnecessary clutter and donate things "just in case" anything happened to her. </p> <p>The actress most recently made a trip to her Tennessee home to pack up her belongings after she decided to let go of her dream of living on the property and fostering horses.</p> <p>“So we were in Tennessee and I was packing up one of the places there,” she continued. “It was really hard and really emotional because to a certain extent — I felt like I was giving up on this dream of building this property out, and putting a house for me and a house for my mum and then extending the barn.”</p> <p>“That was one of my dreams,” she said while tearing up.</p> <p>“I was packing up and I started crying … I felt like I was giving up on a dream and what did that mean for me? Did it mean that I was giving up on life? Did it mean that I was throwing in the towel?"</p> <p>“And my mom was there and she was like, ‘Don’t get rid of this place, it’s fine. You don’t have to and you can keep going.’ I said, ‘Yeah, absolutely I can.’”</p> <p>A week later, Doherty returned to the home to pack everything up and relocate her belongings to her home in California. </p> <p>The actress explained that letting go of the property and other possessions helps “leave behind a cleaner, easier transition” for her family.</p> <p>Through the process, Doherty has learned her belongings don’t bring her as much joy as making memories with her mum and loved ones.</p> <p>“It allows me to take more trips because I’m making money, I’m selling it,” she continued. “Then I get to build different memories and I build memories with the people that I love.</p> <p>“I get to take my mum on vacations because I have all this extra play money lying around and I’m not digging into the money that’s in my estate that’s going to make sure that everybody in my life is taken care of once I’m dead.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Getty Images </em></p>

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Shannen Doherty shares "miracle" amid stage four cancer battle

<p>Shannen Doherty has shared a promising update as she continues to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/my-fear-is-obvious-shannen-doherty-s-tearful-health-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">battle stage four breast cancer</a>. </p> <p>The <em>90210</em> star shared the positive update during the latest episode of her <em>Let’s Be Clear</em> podcast, after months of heartbreaking updates and her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/betrayed-shannen-doherty-opens-up-on-tough-divorce-amid-cancer-battle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tough divorce</a> from her husband of 14 years, Kurt Iswarienk.</p> <p>“I’m on a new cancer infusion and after four treatments, we didn’t really see a difference and everybody wanted me to switch,” she said during a conversation with her doctor. </p> <p>“I just kinda was like, ‘we’re going to keep going with this and see.’”</p> <p>After multiple rounds of treatment, she began to see an unexpected positive development. </p> <p>“After the sixth or seventh treatment, we really saw it breaking down the blood-brain barrier," she said.</p> <p>"Do I call that a miracle? Yeah. For me, that happens to be a miracle right now. That I sort of rolled the dice and said, ‘let’s keep going.’”</p> <p>“That it’s actually breaking down that blood-brain barrier is actually a miracle of that drug, a miracle of maybe God intervening and being like, ‘I’m gonna give her a break,’” she added. </p> <p> “Sometimes you’re looking for miracles in all the wrong places and they’re right in front of your face.”</p> <p>The star was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and has been open about her ongoing battle, from her 2017 remission to her 2020 stage 4 diagnosis, which caused the cancer to spread to spread to her bones and brain. </p> <p>In January 2023 the former <em>Charmed</em> star underwent surgery to remove a brain tumour. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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"Betrayed": Shannen Doherty opens up on tough divorce amid cancer battle

<p>Shannen Doherty revealed it all on the debut episode of her new podcast <em>Let’s Be Clear with Shannen Doherty</em>. </p> <p>The actress opened up on her tough split from her husband of 14 years, Kurt Iswarienko, after she found out he had been having an affair for two years, while she was battling brain cancer.</p> <p>She recalled the moment she found out, right before her surgery to remove the tumour in January. </p> <p>“I went into that surgery early in the morning and I went in after I found out that my marriage was essentially over, that my husband had been carrying on an affair for two years,” she said. </p> <p>“To not go in that surgery, even though, being very clear, he wanted to go, I couldn’t go into that surgery with him there. I felt so betrayed.”</p> <p>“At the end of the day, I just felt so incredibly unloved by someone I was with for 14 years, by someone I loved with all my heart,” Doherty continued, adding that she had her family and friends by her side. </p> <p>Though the<em> Charmed </em>actress is currently focusing on her health and the future, she did admit that the entire experience has been overwhelming. </p> <p>“Just to have to go through all of that while trying to figure out if you’re going to get a frickin’ divorce and trying to get to the truth of that,” she said. </p> <p>She added that she was "obsessed" with finding out the truth of the affair, “through conversations, expecting someone to be honest with me.”</p> <p>“If you share 14 years together and you cheated, doesn’t that person deserve the absolute truth regardless of how much that hurts them? If they’re the ones asking for it, if they’re the ones saying, ‘Listen, I get it, I may cry, I may get angry, and this may really suck to hear, but I need to hear it because I need closure and this is how I get my closure.’ So I had a lot of months of trying to figure out what I was going to do,” she explained.</p> <p>She added that the reason why she was trying so hard to make sense of the situation was because she herself does not condone cheating, “If you cheat on me, you’re out," she said. </p> <p>“Then when someone you really, really love, someone that you regard as your absolute best friend in the world, when you’re lied to and you discover they cheated on you, or they finally tell you they’re cheating on you because they’re riddled by guilt or whatever, I didn’t walk away. I couldn’t. I was so confused.”</p> <p>She added that the confusion was also a side effect from her surgery as she was undertaking a bunch of medication and steroids to prevent her brain from swelling. </p> <p>Doherty and Iswarienko tied the knot in 2011 and filed for divorce earlier this year in April. </p> <p>The actress revealed that she struggled with her decision to file for divorce, and did talk to “girlfriend of two years that he cheated on me with.” </p> <p>“And honestly, it’s still really hard. Yes, I made the decision to file for divorce, but I have a lot of memories with this person,” she said. </p> <p>She added that although she takes responsibility for some of the issues in their marriage, she does not take responsibility for the "demise" of it. </p> <p>“I take responsibility not only because of how I was but because of how cancer impacted my marriage and how it impacted him the second time around," she said. </p> <p>"I do not take responsibility for the demise of our marriage because I am not a quitter. If somebody is still showing me loyalty and respect and love, I’m going to hang in there. I’m going to try my hardest," she added. </p> <p>Despite three failed marriages, the actress said that she still believes in love. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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“My fear is obvious”: Shannen Doherty’s tearful health update

<p dir="ltr">Actress Shannen Doherty, best known for her roles in the hit TV series <em>Charmed</em> and <em>Beverly Hills, 90210</em>, has shared an update on her cancer battle with her concerned followers. </p> <p dir="ltr">The star was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and has been open about her ongoing fight, from her 2017 remission to her 2020 stage 4 diagnosis, and has now made the heartbreaking announcement that the cancer has spread to her brain. </p> <p dir="ltr">In two videos posted to her social media account, Shannen has detailed this latest chapter in her journey, and confessed the fear that comes along with the whole ordeal. </p> <p dir="ltr">In the first post, Shannen detailed the experience of having her radiation mask fitted, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtHpmIdpNRg/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">after CT scans revealed mets on her brain on January 5</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her followers wasted no time in offering their support, with many revealing their own - or their loved ones’ - experiences fighting cancer, and wishing her all of the positive thoughts they had to offer. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I just had my bilateral mastectomy on May 31st along with a lymph node dissection,” one wrote, “and I just want to let you know that you are my hero right now and I am totally here for you as well”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My brother was given 6-8 months in ‘94 - he went through radiotherapy, chemo, and is still with us today,” another shared. “The power of positive thinking, of ‘I CAN beat this’, was his mantra. He is living proof it can be beaten!!! Thinking of you and sending strength”.</p> <p dir="ltr">A day later, Shannen returned with another update, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtKfA9QLdDm/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this time with a video taken on January 12</a>, when the radiation process began. </p> <p dir="ltr">“January 12, the first round of radiation took place,” she revealed. “My fear is obvious. I am extremely claustrophobic and there was a lot going on in my life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Shannen took a moment then to thank her “amazing doctors”, before making the heartbreaking confession that “that fear…. The turmoil….. the timing of it all…. This is what cancer can look like.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Friends and fans could once again be found in force in her comments, with another round of love and support being sent her way, and words of encouragement shared throughout. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a lot. This is a lot to take on, still again. And I am wishing for all the wise peace you have learned to find you in the terror moments. To know we are holding you. Love. All love,” fellow actress Selma Blair wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">As actress Sarah Michelle Gellar put it, “you are a warrior”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I send you love, strength and lighting thoughts. If I only could fight for you too, or just, take your hands and spread my strength through your soul,” a fan said. “I’m not gonna tell you that you are a warrior, you already knows that and you may think ‘I have to. What other choice do I have?’</p> <p dir="ltr">“But trust me, you are remarkable. I worked on oncology service for years and never seen someone with stage four, fighting like you do. You have all my admiration and support. As always.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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How to pick the right course for you

<p>The benefits of keeping your mind busy are endless but deciding to undertake study requires some commitment. Follow these steps to ensure you are picking the right course for you.</p> <p><strong>Pick something you love</strong></p> <p>A good way to narrow this down is by making a list of things you like doing, subjects you enjoy reading about and your hobbies. Next, jot down the courses you think you’re interested in and that align with your list of interests. If you find any crossover, look more into those courses.</p> <p><strong>Do some research</strong></p> <p>Always make sure you look into something before you commit yourself. The best resources are the internet and the people around you. More often than not you will find information on the institution’s website. For instance, the Open Training Institute has in-depth information about what is required from you for each course, what the courses will cover as well as video clips about each course.</p> <p><strong>Speak to people</strong></p> <p>Speak to your friends and family who have studied and find out what they have and haven’t liked about the courses and places they have studied. You will gain the best insight from someone who has studied a course himself/herself.</p> <p><strong>Trust your instincts</strong></p> <p>When you start looking into subject options, you should trust your feelings when picking a course or place to study. If there’s something you’re not comfortable with ask about it, if you’re not satisfied with the answer then perhaps it’s not the right course for you.</p> <p><strong>Review course content</strong></p> <p>Ensure you have a close look at the subjects or modules you will cover in a course you want to study. If you know the types of things required of you before you enrol and you’re comfortable with what’s ahead, it’s a great sign.</p> <p><strong>Consider course durations</strong></p> <p>Courses vary in time commitments and duration, and some courses even offer you the flexibility to choose. For instance you can do all the courses through Open Training Institute self-paced, meaning you can take as little as a month or more slowly over two years to complete. To be sure you’ll be committed to your studies, work out if your current priorities are manageable if you were to enrol in a certain course.</p> <p><a href="../education/education/2014/08/why-you-need-to-keep-your-mind-active.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Related link: Discover the many benefits of keeping your mind busy now! </strong></span></a></p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p> </p>

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Become a master record keeper

<p>Whether you want to brush up your admin skills for your current job, seek new employment, or you’re simply keen to further your knowledge and become the master of your own personal admin, understanding the process of record keeping can be very rewarding. Take Over60 community member, Di Rieger, for example.</p> <p>“During my time [working and volunteering] I assisted with customer service, collection and data entry of statistics, brochure management, information research, ticket and retail sales, preparation of the volunteer roster, writing applications for grant funding and writing award submissions,” Di explains.</p> <p>From working in libraries to volunteering, her experience in research and administration tasks instilled her with the knowledge and know-how to start researching the genealogy of her family. An experience, which she says, changed her life.</p> <p>“Would you believe that while doing an Internet search for my husband’s great grandfather I found information that I did not already have – his parent’s birth and death dates and places, his siblings and all of their birth dates and places and quite a lot more information. One of my cousins had never seen a photograph of [our relative] Thomas Oscar Miller that I found. She is thrilled that I am able to send her a digital copy of the photo.”</p> <p>Whether you want to get a little more organised at home or take on a research project, learning the art of record keeping is a skill that is transferable to many fields. Here are some basic tips and tricks that will help get your personal affairs in order.</p> <p><em><strong>4 tips to become the master of your personal records</strong></em></p> <p><strong>1. Divide and conquer</strong></p> <p>Nearly all of your admin and financial papers can be divided into three categories: records that you need to keep only for the calendar year or less, papers that you need to save for seven years (according to the ATO), and papers that you should hang onto indefinitely.</p> <p>For example, you don’t really need to hang onto all of your ATM-withdrawal receipts, deposit slips or credit-card receipts do you? Once you’ve crosschecked receipts with your bank statement, you can throw them away.</p> <p>While it’s a good idea to keep receipts for major purchases, it isn’t necessary to hold onto sales receipts for minor purchases after you've satisfactorily used the item a few times or the warranty has expired.</p> <p>Shortly after the end of the calendar year, you should be able to throw out a slew of additional paper, including your monthly credit card and or other bank statements, utility bills (if they are not needed for business deductions), and monthly or quarterly reports for the previous year.</p> <p><strong>2. Paper place</strong></p> <p>Designate a place – a desk, corner or room – as the place where you deal with paperwork. If you don’t have the space for this, a drawer, cabinet, or closet where you can store bills and current records, situated near a table on which you can write, will do. Stationery items such as manila folders will come in handy for filing the papers, as will a file cabinet or cardboard box to hold the records. Keep your will, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, property deeds, and other permanent records in a safe but accessible place near your other financial documents, so you and your heirs will always be able to get to them quickly, if they need to.</p> <p><strong>3. Organised systems</strong></p> <p>Having a plan for how you process all records is key. A rudimentary filing system will do. The simplest method is to sort everything into categories – for example, tax related, financial or house. Each area should have it’s own folder or drawer. Then, when you sit down to either pay your bills or gather information, you'll have all the paperwork you need in one spot.</p> <p><strong>4. Stay in front</strong></p> <p>Once you have a system in place, you’ll want to make sure you stay on top of things and don’t have a backlog of unsorted paperwork. Set aside a half an hour a day to sift through old papers, perhaps while watching the news or listening to music.
You'll be amazed at the difference a little organisation makes.</p> <p>Interested in record keeping or looking into your family history, but not quite sure where to start? The Open Training Institute offers a <a href="https://www.opentraining.edu.au/courses/administration/cert-3-recordkeeping" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Certificate III in Recordkeeping</a>. As well as teaching you the necessary proficiencies you could use to research your own family tree, the course can lead to employment as an assistant records clerk or an assistant registry officer. Visit their website to find out more. </p> <p><em><strong>For information about the Open Training Institute and the courses on offer, or to simply ask a question, call 1300 915 692.</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

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“Why our union abandons us”: Actress Shannen Doherty publicly shames actor’s union

<p>Actress Shannen Doherty has put all cards on the table during her battle with breast cancer.</p> <p>The Beverly Hills 90210 star, 51, is undergoing treatment for stage IV breast cancer and took to Instagram to reveal she is struggling to source health insurance coverage as she’s unable to work.</p> <p>Doherty publicly shaded the actor’s union SAG-AFTRA and its president, The Nanny alum Fran Drescher, saying she has been “abandoned”. </p> <p>"<a href="https://www.instagram.com/officialfrandrescher/?hl=en">@officialfrandrescher</a> I'm curious for people like me who have worked since they were 10 and paid dues to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sagaftra/?hl=en">@sagaftra</a> how when we aren't able to work for health reasons why our union abandons us," she captioned her post.</p> <p>"I think we can do better for all our members and I think you're the person to do it. Health insurance shouldn't be based on annual income. It's a lifetime contribution.”</p> <p>"And for me and many others, we have paid a lifetime of dues to only be cancelled because we don't meet your current criteria. Not ok:, she added.</p> <p>The actress who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, posted a selfie from hospital while she received IV treatment.”</p> <p>Drescher was elected president of SAG-AFTRA in 2021 and gave an inspired speech about the union during the 2023 Screen Actors Guild awards. </p> <p>The union stands for the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. It represents all media performers, including actors, singers, models and journalist, and provides support such as health and pension benefits.</p> <p>Drescher nor SAG-AFTRA have publicly addressed Doherty’s claims on her Instagram post but several of her Hollywood friends showed their support in the comments. </p> <p>"Too many of my friends have gone through this – it makes no sense. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sagaftra/?hl=en">@sagaftra</a> must do better!!" actress Busy Philipps commented.</p> <p>"The union is so tough on actors even considering working outside of it, but then completely abandons people when they need the union the most," actor Brian Austin Green wrote. </p> <p>"This isn't about bad mouthing for me. It's about raising awareness, helping create a conversation and hopefully reaching an end goal of change.”</p> <p>In 2015, Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her cancer then returned as Stage IV in 2020, three years after going into remission. </p> <p>"It's going to come out in a matter of days or a week that — I'm stage IV. So, my cancer came back. And that's why I'm here,” she told Good Morning America. "I don't think I've processed it. It's a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways."</p> <p>Doherty has taken on a small number of roles in TV since her diagnosis, most notably in 2019 for the BH 90210 reprisal.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

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New research in Arnhem Land reveals why institutional fire management is inferior to cultural burning

<p>One of the conclusions of this week’s shocking <a href="https://soe.dcceew.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State of the Environment report</a> is that climate change is lengthening Australia’s bushfire seasons and raising the number of days with a fire danger rating of “very high” or above. In New South Wales, for example, the season now extends to almost eight months.</p> <p>It has never been more important for institutional bushfire management programs to apply the principles and practices of Indigenous fire management, or “cultural burning”. As the report notes, cultural burning reduces the risk of bushfires, supports habitat and improves Indigenous wellbeing. And yet, the report finds:</p> <blockquote> <p>with significant funding gaps, tenure impediments and policy barriers, Indigenous cultural burning remains underused – it is currently applied over less than 1% of the land area of Australia’s south‐eastern states and territory.</p> </blockquote> <p>Our <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-12946-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent research</a> in <em>Scientific Reports</em> specifically addressed the question: how do the environmental outcomes from cultural burning compare to mainstream bushfire management practices?</p> <p>Using the stone country of the Arnhem Land Plateau as a case study, we reveal why institutional fire management is inferior to cultural burning.</p> <p>The few remaining landscapes where Aboriginal people continue an unbroken tradition of caring for Country are of international importance. They should be nationally recognised, valued and resourced like other protected cultural and historical places.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Different indigenous fire application today with a country full of weeds. First burn of of two applications this year. This is what we have to do to make country have less flammable vegetation. Walk through, More time and love put into country. <a href="https://t.co/pnoWFQbq6C">pic.twitter.com/pnoWFQbq6C</a></p> <p>— Victor Steffensen (@V_Steffensen) <a href="https://twitter.com/V_Steffensen/status/1505384041402748930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><strong>Ancient fire management</strong></p> <p>The rugged terrain of the Arnhem Plateau in Northern Territory has an ancient human history, with archaeological evidence <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2017-07-20/aboriginal-shelter-pushes-human-history-back-to-65,000-years/8719314#:%7E:text=New%20excavations%20of%20a%20rock,earlier%20than%20archaeologists%20previously%20thought." target="_blank" rel="noopener">dated at 65,000 years</a>.</p> <p>Arnhem Land is an ideal place to explore the effects of different fire regimes because fire is such an essential feature of the natural and cultural environment.</p> <p>Australia’s monsoon tropics are particularly fire prone given the sharply contrasting wet and dry seasons. The wet season sees prolific growth of grasses and other flammable plants, and dry season has reliable hot, dry, windy conditions.</p> <p>Millennia of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-worlds-best-fire-management-system-is-in-northern-australia-and-its-led-by-indigenous-land-managers-133071" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skilful fire management</a> by Indigenous people in these landscapes have allowed plants and animals needing infrequently burnt habitat to thrive.</p> <p>This involves shifting “mosaic” burning, where small areas are burned regularly to create a patchwork of habitats with different fire histories. This gives wildlife a diversity of resources and places to shelter in.</p> <p>Conservation biologists suspect that the loss of such patchy fires since colonisation has contributed to the <a href="http://132.248.10.25/therya/index.php/THERYA/article/view/236/html_66" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calamitous demise</a> of wildlife species across northern Australia, such as northern quolls, northern brown bandicoots and grassland melomys.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Fire is the way to really look after the land and the people. Since we started here, we've been using fire. And we need to bring it back because it unites the people and the land." Jacob Morris, Gumea-Dharrawal Yuin man. 🎥 Craig Bender &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/VeraHongTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VeraHongTweets</a> <a href="https://t.co/Afh6iwIrOX">pic.twitter.com/Afh6iwIrOX</a></p> <p>— FiresticksAlliance (@FiresticksA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FiresticksA/status/1436177617049296901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2021</a></p></blockquote> <p><strong>Collapse of the cypress pine</strong></p> <p>Our study was undertaken over 25 years, and wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support and close involvement of the Traditional Owners over this time.</p> <p>It compared an area under near continuous Indigenous management by the Kune people of Western Arnhem Land with ecologically similar and unoccupied areas within Kakadu National Park.</p> <p>We found populations of the cypress pine (<em>Callitris intratropica</em>) remained healthy under continual Aboriginal fire management. By contrast, cypress pine populations had collapsed in ecologically similar areas in Kakadu due to the loss of Indigenous fire management, as they have across much of northern Australia.</p> <p>The population of dead and living pines is like a barcode that records fire regime change. The species is so long lived that older trees were well established before colonisation.</p> <p>The timber is extremely durable and termite resistant, so a tree killed by fire remains in the landscape for many decades. And mature trees, but not juveniles, can tolerate low intensity fires, but intense fires kill both.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><em><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/475072/original/file-20220720-22-odbe84.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/475072/original/file-20220720-22-odbe84.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/475072/original/file-20220720-22-odbe84.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=800&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475072/original/file-20220720-22-odbe84.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=800&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475072/original/file-20220720-22-odbe84.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=800&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475072/original/file-20220720-22-odbe84.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1005&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475072/original/file-20220720-22-odbe84.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1005&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/475072/original/file-20220720-22-odbe84.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1005&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a></em><figcaption><em><span class="caption">Cypress pine timber can remain in the landscape decades after the tree died.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Michael Hains/Atlas of Living Australia</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p>Since 2007, park rangers have attempted to emulate cultural burning outcomes. They’ve used aircraft to drop incendiaries to create a coarse patchwork of burned and unburned areas to improve biodiversity in the stone country within Kakadu.</p> <p>Unfortunately, our research found Kakadu’s fire management interventions failed to restore landscapes to the healthier ecological condition under traditional Aboriginal fire management.</p> <p>While the Kakadu aerial burning program increased the amount of unburnt vegetation, it didn’t reverse the population collapse of cypress pines. Searches of tens of kilometres failed to find a single seedling in Kakadu, whereas they were common in comparable areas under Aboriginal fire management.</p> <p>Our study highlights that once the ecological benefits of cultural burning are lost, they cannot be simply restored with mainstream fire management approaches.</p> <p>But that’s not to say the ecological impacts from the loss of Aboriginal fire management cannot be reversed. Rather, restoring fire regimes and ecosystem health will be slow, and require special care in where and how fires are set.</p> <p>This requires teams on the ground with deep knowledge of the land, rather than simply spreading aerial incendiaries from helicopters.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">After 60 years of fire exclusion, another magic day restoring fire to Arakwal-Bundjalung-Bumberlin country. <a href="https://t.co/xRRNb4ELdQ">pic.twitter.com/xRRNb4ELdQ</a></p> <p>— Dr. Andy Baker (@FireDiversity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FireDiversity/status/1537768580455931905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><strong>There’s much to learn</strong></p> <p>There remains much for Western science to learn about <a href="https://theconversation.com/fighting-fire-with-fire-botswana-adopts-indigenous-australians-ancient-burning-tradition-135363" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traditional fire management</a>.</p> <p>Large-scale institutional fire management is based on concepts of efficiency and generality. It is controlled by bureaucracies, and achieved using machines and technologies.</p> <p>Such an “industrial” approach cannot replace the placed-based knowledge, including close human relationships with Country, underpinning <a href="https://www.firesticks.org.au/about/cultural-burning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cultural burning</a>.</p> <p>Cultural burning and institutional fire management could be thought of as the differences between home cooking and fast food. Fast food is quick, cheap and produces the same product regardless of individual needs. Home cooking takes longer to prepare, can cater to individual needs, and can improve wellbeing.</p> <p>But restoring sustainable fire regimes based on the wisdom and practices of Indigenous people cannot be achieved overnight. Reaping the benefits of cultural burning to landscapes where colonialism has disrupted ancient fire traditions take time, effort and resources.</p> <p>It’s urgent remaining traditional fire practitioners are recognised for their invaluable knowledge and materially supported to continue caring for their Country. This includes:</p> <ul> <li>actively supporting Indigenous people to reside on their Country</li> <li>to pay them to undertake natural resource management including cultural burning</li> <li>creating pathways enabling Indigenous people separated from their country by colonialism to re-engage with fire management.</li> </ul> <p>Restoring landscapes with sustainable cultural burning traditions is a long-term project that will involve training and relearning ancient practices. There are extraordinary opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike to learn how to Care for Country.</p> <hr /> <p><em>The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Victor Steffensen, the Lead Fire Practitioner at the Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation, who reviewed this article.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184562/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-bowman-4397" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Bowman</a>, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-i-roos-1354187" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christopher I. Roos</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-methodist-university-1988" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southern Methodist University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fay-johnston-90826" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fay Johnston</a>, Professor, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Tasmania</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-research-in-arnhem-land-reveals-why-institutional-fire-management-is-inferior-to-cultural-burning-184562" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: @FireDiversity (Twitter)</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Price hike hits Bunnings institution for first time in 15 years

<p>The cost of living crisis is continuing to hit Australians where it hurts - this time targeting a sacred weekend institution. </p> <p>The beloved Bunnings sausage sizzle has been hit with a cost increase for the first time in 15 years, after what the store chain said was extensive feedback from community groups.</p> <p>The humble sausage sizzles have been a staple of a weekend trip to Bunnings for more than 25 years, with not-for-profits, community groups, and charities all using them as an opportunity to fundraise.</p> <p>However, as the cost of groceries continues to rise, these groups say there is a significant downturn in their profits after the barbecue gets turned off. </p> <p>After forking out the extravagant cost of sausages, bread, onions and sauces, these community groups are left struggling to come out on top. </p> <p>And so, from Saturday July 23rd, people lining up for a sausage will have to hand over $3.50 instead of the previous price of $2.50. </p> <p>Onions will still be a cost-free option, and drinks will stay steady at $1.50.</p> <p>All the money raised goes straight to the group running the sizzle, so it's at least for a good cause.</p> <p>"It's been an incredibly difficult couple of years with the lack of fundraising opportunities and the pressure on community group services and support continues to be a growing need in our wider community," Bunnings Group managing director Mike Schneider said.</p> <p>"The sausage sizzle will always be a community led initiative and we have listened and responded in a way we hope allows groups to maximise fundraising efforts, whilst still giving customers a simple way to support their local community."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Shannen Doherty opens up about her cancer battle

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shannen Doherty made an appearance on Good Morning America on Monday, and was incredibly candid about her battle with stage four breast cancer. The actor had previously revealed that her cancer returned last year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m living life, I’m spending a lot of time with friends and family and working. I think work was always very fulfilling to me but in a way, it’s become even more fulfilling,” Doherty told the GMA hosts over Zoom.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A lot of people who get diagnosed with stage four, they sort of get written off. It’s assumed that they cannot work or that they cannot work at their full capacity. That is not true and that is something that I would really like the people to stop assuming and give us a chance to prove them wrong.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an interview with GMA last year, Doherty revealed her cancer had returned after she had been in remission for five years. After being asked if she wanted to own her cancer story, Doherty said through tears, “Yeah, I’d rather people hear it from me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Doherty has been owning her story throughout her battle, sharing the highs and lows with her fans on Instagram, including her first day of radiation treatment and a photo of her hair loss after starting chemotherapy.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BNXguq-j8fk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BNXguq-j8fk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by ShannenDoherty (@theshando)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p> </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BaJ48S7BTU4/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BaJ48S7BTU4/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by ShannenDoherty (@theshando)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The actor is still on her first treatment schedule, also known as a protocol. She told GMA, “You want to last on your protocols as long as possible so that you don’t run out of protocols. You really have to dig deep to face cancer and in that, you find all the stuff that you had hidden away and it’s beautiful things that you find. You find the vulnerability, you find your trust in people again, you find forgiveness.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She added that she doesn’t believe in bucket lists, and instead is “going to keep fighting to stay alive”. “I’d like to say that those are goals, because a bucket list almost feels like those things that you check off before you die and I never want to operate like that,” she said.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Hallmark Channel</span></em></p>

Caring

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Nobel laureate delays retirement to help combat COVID

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Peter Doherty was preparing to retire in early 2020, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw him meeting with leading coronavirus experts and working on a new book about the pandemic instead.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I thought I was going to retire,” the laureate professor said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was 79 years old, I’d just finished our last big NHMRC grant, and I was also working on a book that I’ve been working on for ages.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Doherty won a Nobel Prize in 1996 after discovering how our immune cells destroy viruses, and has since revolutionised the field of immunology.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last year, he joined conference calls with senior researchers from The Doherty Institute - named in his honour - to discuss the latest findings about the deadly disease.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I haven’t been running a lab for a while, but I joined in on that, and suddenly got a sense [COVID-19] was pretty dangerous,” Professor Doherty said of the early meetings.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My sense was I could help by being in the discussion because I’d been working on this kind of stuff for years so I have got some sort of understanding of it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sitting on these morning discussions, I’m hearing details of what people who are running the diagnostics, evaluating the tests and so forth are doing.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“And though I knew superficially about the challenge, I had no idea about the actual detail that was involved.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But his scientific work isn’t the only reason why he came to prominence during the pandemic.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In April 2020, the 80-year-old gave the internet a well-needed laugh when he accidentally asked his Twitter followers when Dan Murphys was open, mistaking the platform for Google.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Dan Murphy opening hours</p> — Prof. Peter Doherty (@ProfPCDoherty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfPCDoherty/status/1254616358479966209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I love it. Scientists (even Nobel laureates) are human first,” one follower commented.</span></p> <p><strong>Predicting the pandemic</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scientists like Professor Doherty have been warning about the threat of a pandemic for decades.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2013, he wrote a book he jokingly described as “pandemics for dummies”, called </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pandemics: What Everyone Needs to Know</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It didn’t sell well because who wants to read about disease and death?”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the science in his book still holds up, Professor Doherty said he and other experts mistakenly believed a flu pandemic would be a threat.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If I’d been thinking more clearly, I would have thought about coronaviruses, and what happened with SARS,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While he did predict the economic cost of the pandemic, the use of social media, and the transition to working from home, he said COVID-19 has proved to be a “steep learning curve”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Both on the science side - we didn’t understand the virus to begin with, it’s much more complicated than we thought,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“And also the social dimension of it - I think we’ve all been grappling with that one.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I had no real understanding of the social dimension of [a pandemic], and I think you have to live through it to really understand that.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Based in Melbourne, Professor Doherty and his wife Penny joined other Melbournians in the city’s 112-day lockdown during the second wave of the virus.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s pretty scary because we’re both old,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He tried to stay cautious and still take regular walks, including some in his own backyard to avoid needing to wear a mask, where he would “stride up and down like on the deck of a ship”.</span></p> <p><strong>Looking to the future</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thinking about the next 12 months, Professor Doherty’s biggest concern is a possibility of a new variant emerging that vaccines won’t be able to protect against.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Current variants such as Delta appear to dilute the effectiveness of the vaccines but don’t prevent the immune response triggered by vaccination.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He worries that the virus could mutate in such a way that it “subverts the vaccine”, requiring scientists to modify the vaccines.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Apart from that concern, I think we’re now really on the right track,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What we absolutely need is for people to get vaccinated.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[Herd immunity] is incremental. If you get 50 percent of the people vaccinated, you’d worry a lot less about locking down and all that sort of stuff.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But if we can get to 80 percent vaccinated, I think we’d be in pretty good shape.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: The Doherty Institute / Instagram</span></em></p>

Retirement Income

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The discovery transforming how we look at prostate cancer

<p><em><strong>Professor Vanessa Hayes (pictured below, far left), head of the Human Comparative and Prostate Cancer Genomics Laboratory at the Garvan Institute, explains the revolutionary discovery that has the potential to transform the way we look at and ultimately treat prostate cancer.</strong></em></p> <p>One in four Australian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some stage in their life, but for a disease that’s so common there’s still so much we don’t know about it. Because there is so much we still don’t know, many Australian men are being over-treated, receiving invasive, sometimes life-altering treatments that may not be necessary.</p> <p>Groundbreaking research at the Garvan Institute is transforming the way we look at prostate cancer, giving us a better understanding of this devastating disease.</p> <p><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7818328/g_0686_500x333.jpg" alt="G_0686"/></p> <p><strong>How does prostate cancer affect someone’s life?</strong></p> <p>Prostate cancer can have a profound physical impact on someone’s life, with frequent urination, pelvis pain and a reduced sex drive eventually progressing to advanced symptoms like sudden, unexpected weight loss and fatigue. But what sometimes gets overlooked is the psychological impact. As the Garvan Institute’s Professor Vanessa Hayes argues, prostate cancer is a disease that can do just as much damage to the mind as the body.</p> <p>“Traditionally men don’t want to have to deal with or talk about the side effects of having such a condition and living with it for such a long time. Most men will die with prostate cancer, not from prostate cancer,” says Professor Hayes.</p> <p>“This means having to live 15, 20, 25 years knowing you have this cancer, while not feeling comfortable to talk about it – I think psychologically it’s a very hard cancer to deal with.”</p> <p><strong>What makes prostate cancer so tricky to deal with?</strong></p> <p>Prostate cancer differs from some other cancers in the sense that the factors impacting an individual’s likelihood of getting it are largely out of their hands. Other cancers have “modifiable risk factors” based on your lifestyle choices. For example, the amount of time you spend in the sun could be considered a modifiable risk factor for melanomas, while smoking could be considered a modifiable risk factor for being diagnosed with lung cancer.</p> <p>The problem is the likelihood of getting prostate cancer is affected by factors like ageing, family history and ethnic background. These are not modifiable risk factors, but genetic factors.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WlKBiPUwvCI" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>How could genomic research help?</strong></p> <p>Unfortunately, there’s not a lot we can do about the genetic factors we’re born with. You can’t swallow a pill and change your age, family history or ethnic background. But what researchers at the Garvan Institute are hoping to understand with genomic research is what exactly is happening on a genetic level that is causing the cancer to emerge in certain people.</p> <p>“We need to look at the DNA sequence of this tumour and what is actually happening to cause this prostate cell to become cancerous,” says Professor Hayes.</p> <p><strong>What is it about the Garvan Institute’s research that has been so revolutionary?</strong></p> <p>Driven by revolutionary advances in genetic technology, the Garvan Institute has been able to examine the entire DNA sequence of a cancer cell. Prior to this, scientists were only able to look at a small portion of the human genome, representing roughly two per cent of the bigger picture. But new technology has given the Garvan Institute an opportunity to inspect the instrumental drivers of this unusual cancer, offering hope for a way forward.</p> <p>“Prostate cancer is a disease of the altered genetic code. Genetics provides a definitive answer; it’s a yes/no, there’s a change on, or a change off. And these we can read, so if we can find that on and off button, then we can provide a much better tool to the clinicians to be able to use,” explains Professor Hayes.</p> <p><strong>What would be the next step?</strong></p> <p>If the Garvan Institute can understand the instrumental factors driving the disease on a genomic level, there’s a huge opportunity to tailor treatments according to cases. This would ensure patients who are at highest risk are treated effectively and efficiently, while those at lower risk levels avoid receiving unnecessary and unneeded treatments.</p> <p>“We want to put prostate cancer into treatable buckets. A do nothing bucket. A do very minimal bucket. A get rid of the prostate bucket. And a tailored treatment bucket,” says Professor Hayes.</p> <p>“We want to be able to go even further than the buckets and treat the individual. As each person is unique, so is their cancer and ultimately so is their treatment. Genomics will allow us to make prostate cancer treatment unique.”</p> <p><strong>What can you do to help?</strong></p> <p>Contributing funds to organisations like the Garvan Institute is a good way to start, and you’ll be surprised how far your dollar goes.</p> <p>As Professor Hayes explains, “We always discover something, whether it’s a new technology, a new way to look at something, you’re looking at it differently, you’re approaching your question differently to everyone else, you have to find something.”</p> <p>To contribute to the Garvan Institute’s fight against prostate cancer, visit <strong><a href="https://www.giving.garvan.org.au/donate-today?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=tax2018"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">garvan.org.au/support-prostate-research</span></a></strong><a href="#_msocom_1"></a></p> <div>THIS IS SPONSORED CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GARVAN INSTITUTE.</div> <div> <div> <p> </p> <p> </p> </div> </div>

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The radical idea offering hope for millions of Aussies suffering from autoimmune disease

<p><strong>Professor Chris Goodnow, Deputy Director of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, talks about the radical idea that’s offering hope for millions of Australians currently suffering from autoimmune disease.</strong></p> <p>Autoimmune diseases are on the rise in Australia, and fast becoming a problem for our already-stretched healthcare system. One in 8 people will be affected by an autoimmune disease like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease at some point in their life. These conditions can have a devastating effect, not just on patients, but on their family members and friends as well.</p> <p>While much about autoimmune disease remains a mystery, early findings from research at the Garvan Institute offers hope, with many believing it it may lead to a cure.</p> <p><strong>What we know about autoimmune disease</strong></p> <p>Most of our understanding of autoimmune disease is restricted to what’s going on in the body. We know autoimmune disease occurs when the body attacks and damages its own tissue, we know the symptoms, we have methods to manage these diseases as best we can, and we know what to expect when someone’s diagnosed. What’s less clear, and what the Garvan Institute’s Hope Research project is trying to answer, is why the immune system is doing this, and whether this is curable.</p> <p><img width="499" height="555" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7268400/artwork-2_499x555.jpg" alt="Artwork 2" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><strong>How close are we to understanding causes?</strong></p> <p>The encouraging news is we’re closer to an understanding than we’ve ever been, which could one day lead to a cure. The Garvan Institute has been leading the way in autoimmune disease research, thanks largely to work spearheaded by a radical hypothesis from the organisation’s Deputy Director, Professor Chris Goodnow.</p> <p>Over a decade ago, Professor Goodnow theorised that there was a common cause for all autoimmune diseases – disruptions in the immune system’s clever “checkpoint” process causing “rogue clone” cells to spread and replicate.</p> <p>The technology to put this theory to the test didn’t exist previously. But recent advances have given Professor Goodnow and his team the ability to isolate individual disease-causing cells from the blood of patients and target the “rogue clones”. And this has far-reaching implications of the management and treatment of these diseases.</p> <p>“For the last 10 years, we’ve had a pretty good idea as to what might cause autoimmune disease, and we’ve figured out many of the mechanisms that normally stop it. But we haven’t had the tools and the technology to be able to test those ideas,” Professor Goodnow explains.</p> <p>“In the last three years, we’ve acquired the tools and technology here at the Garvan Institute. We are now bringing them together with a fantastic team of medical experts at the major hospitals around Sydney to really focus those tools and know-how on cracking this problem.”</p> <p><strong>Why it’s important to understand the causes of autoimmune disease</strong></p> <p>While many autoimmune diseases can be managed, there’s yet no cure. But the revolutionary research from Professor Goodnow and the team at the Garvan Institute suggests this is about to change. If researchers can pin down the “rogue cells” and what prompted them to go rogue, they could theoretically use existing immunotherapies and drugs to eradicate them from the body, targeting the disease at the source.</p> <p>The Garvan Institute has already made exciting strides through the work of Dr Joanne Reed, who put Professor Goodnow’s theory to the test in a pilot study for Sjögren’s syndrome. The results she recorded were nothing short of spectacular.</p> <p>“Excitingly, our pilot study has already identified disease causing rogue clones in Sjögren’s syndrome,” Dr Reed says.</p> <p>“We’ll now apply this discovery to 36 clinically diverse autoimmune diseases.”</p> <p><img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7268452/rsz_joanne_reed_with_etienne_masle-farquhar2_500x334.jpg" alt="Rsz _joanne _reed _with _etienne _masle -farquhar2" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><strong>The challenges of this revolutionary research?</strong></p> <p>As is often the case, progress in the world of science doesn’t come cheap. The costs associated with the Hope Research project’s revolutionary work are substantial.</p> <p>“To identify the rogue cells in one person costs thousands of dollars; to identify the mutations in those rogue cells costs $5,000-$20,000. It will get cheaper the more we do it, and the more the technology continues to mature,” Professor Goodnow says.</p> <p>“You could say we should just wait 10 years, until the technology has gotten cheaper, but we can’t wait. We want to know the root cause of autoimmune disease <em>now</em>. We’ve got the technology. We know what we need to do. We just need the resources to do it.”</p> <p><strong>How you can help</strong></p> <p>Contributing funds to the Garvan Institute is a good way to start, and you’ll be surprised how far your dollar goes to tackling autoimmune disease.</p> <p>As Professor Goodnow says, “For every dollar you give, we will leverage that many, many times over, in terms of being able to reach a cure for these diseases.”</p> <p><a href="https://www.garvan.org.au/foundation/give-hope/?utm_source=fairfax&amp;utm_medium=sponsoredcontent&amp;utm_campaign=give_hope" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>You can contribute</strong></span></a> to Garvan’s fight against autoimmune disease. Visit <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.garvan.org.au/foundation/give-hope/?utm_source=fairfax&amp;utm_medium=sponsoredcontent&amp;utm_campaign=give_hope" target="_blank">garvan.org.au/give-hope</a></strong></span><a href="#_msocom_1"></a></p> <div>THIS IS SPONSORED CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GARVAN INSTITUTE.</div>

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Is it possible to detect Parkinson’s sooner?

<p>Parkinson’s disease has long been a source of confusion, misinformation and misunderstanding, with many believing it to simply be “the shakes”. But there is so much more to this cruel and complex disease.</p> <p>According to <a href="http://www.parkinsons.org.au/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Parkinson’s Australia</span></strong></a>, there are currently around 70,000 people affected by the disease in this country alone. The average age of diagnosis is 65 years, but for some, the dreaded news can come much earlier.</p> <p>“My mother had Parkinson’s,” Over60 community member Pauline Marrone explains. “She was first diagnosed at 43 years old and passed away at 73. The last 10 years of her life, once she became bedridden, were terrible to watch, particularly the involuntary jumping of her legs after she had taken her medication. My dad was her carer. He passed away in his sleep, in bed next to her, and she was unable to do anything but lay there next to him until help arrived. It was very traumatic.”</p> <p>Not only is its cause currently almost impossible to pinpoint, it’s also notoriously difficult to diagnose, as there are currently no laboratory tests available – diagnosis is all down to examinations conducted by neurologists.</p> <p>To understand a bit more about the disease, and learn about an exciting breakthrough that may lead to the development of an effective treatment, we spoke to Associate Professor Antony Cooper. As head of the neuroscience division at the <a href="https://www.garvan.org.au" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Garvan Institute of Medical Research</span></strong></a>, his work focuses on a number of neurodegenerative diseases – primarily, Parkinson’s disease.</p> <p>“We’re looking at two things,” he explains. “One, to try and understand what are the early events that cause or contribute to Parkinson’s, because if we can identify them, it gives us a way of trying to find a therapy that would stop this disease. And two, to search for biomarkers (indicators of disease).</p> <p>“In Parkinson’s, you start to get neurons that either degenerate (which means they die) or simply aren’t working, which is really the same outcome – in that different parts ofyour brain stops working properly.</p> <p>“With one part of your brain not working it produces specific symptoms but then the problem “spreads” to another brain region, causing that region to fail which results in a new set of symptoms. As time goes on, you get more and more brain regions affected, and therefore you gain new symptoms and the symptoms you already have get worse. This is disease progression.”</p> <p>There may be hope, however, in slowing the progression of the disease. Current therapies only treat certain symptoms rather than tackling the disease as a whole. Associate Professor Cooper believes his team’s research could lead to the development of a treatment, which would get to the root of the problem and prevent the disease getting worse.</p> <p>“There’s a protein called alpha-synuclein which is quite central to the disease. It’s recently been proposed that the progression of the disease – that is, the timing pattern in which parts of the brain fail – is that this protein might be moving from one brain cell to another, where it triggers the next cell (which was healthy) to fail or degenerate.</p> <p>“We’re also looking at a second Parkinson’s disease gene called PARK9 (or ATP13A2), which is involved with how the cell copes with toxic levels of alpha-synuclein. It protects the cell against rising levels of alpha-synuclein and also impacts how that alpha-synuclein is perhaps transmitted from one cell to another. A number of us at the Garvan are investigating if we could interfere with that transmission of alpha-synuclein between cells, we might be able to stop the disease getting worse, which would be fantastic.”</p> <p>Therapy will be most beneficial if we can give it to people very early in the disease course.</p> <p>“Part of our problem is that by the time some people are diagnosed, they’ve already got a resting tremor in their hand, and by that stage, you’re probably in the mid-course of the disease,” he explains. “So, we need to be able to diagnose people much earlier. And that’s pretty hard, because the really early symptoms don’t necessarily suggest Parkinson’s, so we need earlier indicators – biomarkers. Some people may have had the disease for five years before they began to show symptoms. So, the earlier we can detect it, if we have a therapy, we could give those to people before they even have symptoms, and we may stop the progression really early on. Pre-symptomatic diagnosis, that’s our goal.”</p> <p>Associate Professor Cooper hopes that, one day, if the search for biomarkers is successful, diagnosing early Parkinson’s will be as simple as a trip to the doctor. However, without proper funding, diagnosis will remain a struggle.</p> <p>“If you wonder whether you’re diabetic or have high blood glucose, you go and have a blood test where they take a measurement and say, ‘you’ve got 5, that’s healthy,’ or ‘you’ve got 7, that’s a concern’. That’s a biomarker for diabetes. So, we’re looking for biomarkers that we can measure so that, maybe at the age of 50, you can stop by your GP and as part of your blood test they screen you for Parkinson’s and say, “‘hey, your markers indicate very early stages of Parkinson’, we’ve got this therapy,’ or ‘we’re going to monitor you for another year and see if it gets worse,’ and ideally, we’d be able to significantly slow the disease and add an extra five or more years of being symptom free.”</p> <p>If you’re interested in finding out more information about Parkinson’s, why not consider attending a free seminar at the Garvan Institute on Tuesday April 11 from 10am to 12pm? <a href="https://www.garvan.org.au/get-involved/public-seminars" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Click here</strong></span></a> to register now. </p> <p>If you would like to help Associate Professor Antony Cooper and his team at the Garvan Institute as they continue their research to find an early diagnosis test for Parkinson’s, <a href="https://www.giving.garvan.org.au/donate-now" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>click here</strong></span></a> to find out how you can donate now.</p> <p>For more information or to support Garvan’s research into Parkinson’s, please visit <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://garvan.org.au/parkinsons" target="_blank">garvan.org.au/parkinsons</a></strong></span>.</p> <p>THIS IS SPONSORED CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU IN CONJUNCTION WITH <a href="https://www.garvan.org.au" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">GARVAN INSTITUTE</span></strong></a>. </p>

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Qantas charity flight raises money for deaf and blind children

<p>Ever wanted to experience the amazing Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania, but could never find the time? Well this – and more – is possible in the space of a day. And you’ll be raising much-needed funds for deaf and blind children.</p> <p>The 15th annual Qantas Pathways Charity Flight takes off on Saturday 12 November 2016 – and it promises to be a fantastic day for anyone who loves travel, enjoys great food and wine, is keen to spend a day in Hobart, wants to visit the MONA and is passionate about helping those in need.</p> <p>Each year, Qantas donates a chartered flight to help raise for the children at the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC). This year passengers will enjoy a champagne breakfast on the chartered flight before arriving in Hobart, where they can have a guided tour of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, which will be in the final week of a special exhibition called “Tempest”, have a walking tour of historic Battery Point, visit Mawson’s Hut, or wander around Salamanca Markets.</p> <p><img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/29285/photo-credit-image-al-bett-hobart-view-courtesy-city-of-hobart_500x334.jpg" alt="Photo Credit - Image Al Bett Hobart View Courtesy City Of Hobart" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Image Al Bett Hobart view courtesy City of Hobart.</em></p> <p>“Passengers will be in for an incredible treat as they visit Salamanca Place, the heart of Hobart’s historic waterfront, with its vibrant markets filled with artisan arts and crafts, live music and local produce,” says RIDBC Committees and Events Manager, Kaye Bailey. “Guests will then enjoy a leisurely ferry ride down the Derwent River and be treated to a stunning three course lunch featuring locally produced artisan food and wine at Tasmania’s iconic Museum of Old and New Art.”</p> <p>Hosted by ABC Radio presenter Simon Marnie together with special guest, the five-time Gold Logie-winning TV journalist and enthusiastic foodie, Ray Martin, the Charity Flight offers an ideal excuse to get away and enjoy a beautiful part of Tasmania in a fun-filled, unique day.</p> <p>Another special guest will be Ally McLeod, mother of Connor, who successfully lobbied the Reserve Bank to include tactile features on the new $5 banknote.</p> <p>Each year Qantas donates a 737-800 aircraft and associated handling requirements, with in-flight catering from Q Catering. Pilots, cabin crew and ground stuff volunteer, aviation fuel is supplied free of charge, and landing fees are waived.</p> <p>Qantas Captain Andrew Simpson, leading his ninth Charity Flight says, “I can’t wait to again take part in this exciting and unique fundraiser to help the children and adults supported by RIDBC. It truly is a wonderful day out, which couldn’t happen without the generosity of the pilots and cabin crew who donate their time, and our sponsors – Qantas, Shell Aviation, Q Catering, Sydney Airport, AirServices Australia and MONA.”</p> <p><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/29286/mona_photo-credit-monarémi-chauvin-2-_500x375.jpg" alt="MONA_Photo Credit MONARémi Chauvin (2)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). Photo credit: MONA Rémi Chauvin. </em></p> <p>Since first taking to the skies in 2002, this unique annual event has raised more than $1.18 million in support of RIDBC and is only made possible because of the remarkable efforts of Qantas Pathfinders, as well as their numerous supporters and sponsors. All proceeds go to RIDBC which assists over 6,500 children and adults with vision or hearing loss, and their families, across Australia. For many, the flight is an annual event; their return every year speaks volumes about the fantastic experiences.</p> <p>The 15<sup>th</sup> annual Qantas Pathfinders Charity Flight takes off on Saturday, 12 November 2016 (de-parting Sydney at 6.30am and returning at 8.30pm). Ticket price is $895 per person. Bookings can be made by contacting Kaye Bailey at RIDBC on (02) 9872 0329, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="mailto:kay.bailey@ridbc.org.au">kay.bailey@ridbc.org.au</a></strong></span> or visit <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.charityflight.com.au/">www.charityflight.com.au</a>.</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/hearing/2016/09/why-you-need-to-cherish-your-hearing/"><em>I was deaf for most of my life</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/hearing/2016/07/bionic-ears-allow-little-girl-hear/"><em>“Bionic” ears allow little girl hear</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/hearing/2016/06/safety-tips-for-the-hearing-impaired/"><em>Safety tips for the hearing impaired</em></a></strong></span></p>

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Find out your bone fracture risk with new online tool

<p style="text-align: center;"><span><img width="117" height="74" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/22722/kyb_logo_v2_117x74.jpg" alt="KYB_Logo _V2 (2)"/></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span>THIS IS AN ADVERTORIAL FEATURE</span></p> <p>An Australian-first bone health self-assessment tool designed to help consumers understand their bone fracture risk, is now available to all adults, including the 7.5 million Australians living with brittle bones.</p> <p>The “Know Your Bones” online tool – an inaugural Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Osteoporosis Australia joint initiative – helps adults assess their likelihood of fractures, including those diagnosed with osteopenia and osteoporosis – two common bone conditions that, together with fractures, will cost the nation more than $3 billion this year.</p> <p>The evidence-based, consumer-friendly tool summarises bone fracture risk by assessing age, gender, weight, history of fracture, bone mineral density, and history of falls and lifestyle factors within the past 12 months. Risk of fracture over five and 10 years respectively, is assessed for people aged 50 and above, and a general, actionable summary is provided for all users (18+), for further discussion with their GP.</p> <p>The launch of the innovative tool coincides with the release of Osteoporosis Australia fracture figures revealing more than 155,000 fractures will occur Australia-wide this year, with a bone broken every 3.4 minutes due to poor bone health. Furthermore, men will account for up to 30 per cent of all fractures related to osteopenia and osteoporosis, and their associated costs. In 2016, the total annual cost of fractures is estimated to be $2.15 billion.</p> <p>Two-thirds of Australians aged 50 and above, have poor bone health and many don’t know it, even when they have obvious risk factors, or have experienced a previous fracture. Unfortunately, only around 20 per cent of those women who sustain a fracture and go to hospital, are either treated or properly investigated for osteoporosis. Even fewer men are followed up appropriately.</p> <p>Poor bone health can lead to fractures. Don’t wait to break a bone, take the Know Your Bones health assessment today.</p> <p>The Know Your Bones fracture risk self-assessment takes only five minutes. Simply visit www.knowyourbones.org.au, print out a report and take it to your doctor to discuss your risk and a suitable action plan.</p> <p>It’s estimated that 1.2 million Australians are living with osteoporosis and 6.3 million have low bone density. Osteoporosis affects women and men, and occurs when bones lose their density and quality, weakening the skeleton. Osteoporosis can affect almost any of your body’s 206 bones, though fractures most often occur in the hip, spine, wrist, ribs, and pelvis. However, the Know Your Bones tool can help people understand when they may need to speak to their GP about managing risks, proper medical investigation and management can approximately halve the risk of further fracture.</p> <p>Risk factors for osteoporosis include a family history of the disease, fractures from minimal trauma, low bone density and falls. Medical risk factors include low body weight, early menopause, low testosterone, inflammatory conditions, malabsorption disorders (such as coeliac disease), corticosteroid use (e.g. for asthma), some cancer treatments (particularly for breast and prostate cancer), loss of height (3 cm or more), overactive thyroid and parathyroid conditions. Lifestyle issues include calcium and vitamin D deficiency, smoking, insufficient exercise and excessive alcohol consumption.</p> <p>To check out the online test, visit <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.knowyourbones.org.au/" target="_blank">www.knowyourbones.org.au</a></strong></span> now.</p>

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Become a leader with these handy hints

<p>Despite being a popular label, there aren’t many “natural”-born leaders out there. Leaders, managers and trailblazers – they all have one thing in common: they work hard for that title. Leadership doesn’t only come into play if you’re the CEO of a company; in fact many people have been leaders at some point in their life. Whether it’s parenting a family, captaining a sports team or managing a small team at work, the following leadership tips will be beneficial in your daily life.</p><p><strong>Learn about yourself</strong>&nbsp;</p><p>What is your leadership style? To think about this consider how you’ve dealt with situations in the workplace, at home or with your family and note down your strengths and weaknesses in handling matters that arise, people and problem solving. For example, if you’re a “friendly boss” your employees might really like you but does that mean you won’t make hard decisions when necessary? Conversely, if you are the “strict boss”, your employees might respect but be afraid of you. By looking at your leadership style through this type of exercise it enables you to consider what your leadership style is, how you handle things and areas where you might be able to improve.</p><p><strong>Be a role model</strong>&nbsp;</p><p>If you are going to talk the talk, you must walk the walk. To gain respect and faith in your abilities as a leader, you must exemplify the behaviours and characteristics you want from your team. Lead by example and this will encourage others to follow you.</p><p><strong>Never stop learning</strong>&nbsp;</p><p>You should always think about how you can improve your leadership skills because while something may have worked well before, you don’t want to become stuck in your old ways. Always strive to stay ahead of the curve by talking to others, reading books and relevant leadership material (magazines and journals), attend seminars or take a course like Open Training Institute’s Certificate IV in Project Management Practice. Courses like this help you build the skills and techniques needed to successfully manage projects.</p><p><strong>Passion is key</strong></p><p>If you aren’t passionate then how can you expect the people you lead to be excited and inspired? If you seem apathetic then your team will be apathetic too. Let your enthusiasm be a source of inspiration.</p><p><strong>Encourage contributions</strong></p><p>Although you are the leader you can also learn from your team members. Nobody likes to be ignored so encourage everyone to contribute and have a say. Allowing this sort of creativity helps businesses and people thrive.</p><p><strong>Show appreciation</strong>&nbsp;</p><p>A true leader knows success is a team effort. You led the team but everybody helped. Show genuine appreciation for people’s performances. While praise is great, give people real rewards whether it’s promotions at work or prizes for sports teams. It increases morale and motivates people.</p><p>­­­­­­­­­­___________________________________________________________________________</p><p><strong>Want to know more about leadership or explore a career in project management?</strong>&nbsp;</p><p>The Open Training Institute offers a Certificate IV in Project Management Practice, which could lead you to one of the following vocations</p><ul><li>Contracts officer</li><li>Estimator and scheduler</li><li>Project assistant or coordinator</li><li>Quality officer</li><li>Small business operator</li></ul><p><strong>The course covers:</strong></p><ul><li>Time-management techniques</li><li>Quality-management skills</li><li>Information management and communication know-how</li><li>Cost-management practices</li><li>Procurement procedures</li><li>Risk-management</li><li>Stakeholder engagement</li></ul><p>One student of this course says:</p><p>"This course is a great stepping stone into project management for me as I've always been interested in a career change, now I have the opportunity and my trainer is always with me every step of the way to make sure that I not only understand the theory but also the practical implications, such as project managing my own house renovation! It's been both hectic and fun!"</p><p><em><strong>For information about the Open Training Institute and the courses on offer, or to simply ask a question, call 1300 915 692.</strong></em></p><p>To find out more about the Certificate IV in Project Management Practice visit the Open Training Institute&nbsp;<a href="https://www.opentraining.edu.au/courses/project-management/cert-4-project-management-practice" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>here</strong></span></a> or watch this video for some great insights as to what the course covers:</p><p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oXeA2g5TEfE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>

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How prepared are you for an emergency?

<p>Whether you’re at home or at work, on your own or surrounded by family, emergencies can happen anywhere and anytime. One thing is for sure: an emergency will happen when you least expect it, which means it’s all the more important to be organised to deal with a stressful situation. Here we look at some common emergencies to look out for and some tips on what to do if you find yourself in a sticky situation.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Common emergencies to be aware of:</strong></span></p><p><strong>Funny smells</strong></p><p>Does everyone, be that in your workplace or at home, know what gas (or a gas leak) smells like? The smell can be likened to that of a rotten egg. If you notice an odour like this wafting through your home or workplace, quickly open all the doors and windows. Next, you should turn off your gas appliances and make sure no one uses a lighter. It’s also important not to turn on electrical appliances or lights on or off. If you can still smell gas, you and everyone else on the premises should leave. You also need to call the gas distributor. It’s a good idea to have their number handy (it can be found on your bills) on a noticeboard in the kitchen of your home and workplace. Make sure everyone knows where these emergency numbers are.</p><p><strong>Faulty electrics</strong></p><p>If you notice that any of your electrical appliances – oven, toaster, kettle, photocopier and so on – are taking longer than usual to work or something seems off (for instance, funny noises, overheating or smoke coming from them), stop using them straightaway. It could signal a major problem. Don’t try and fix it yourself – speak to someone at your work who is placed to deal with OHS issues or if you’re at home, call the company the item is made by or notify an authorised repairer.</p><p>Also do not ignore any small or big shocks from an electrical appliance or power tool. Disconnect immediately and contact your energy provider.</p><p>Faulty electrical appliances can start fires and when touched shock the body. This can stop the heart, cause burns, force muscles to contract and paralyse breathing. If someone has been shocked, switch off the power and pull the plug of the appliance if it’s safe to do so. If you cannot turn it off, use something made of rubber, a dry cloth or cured dry wood to free the shock victim. Remember not to touch the shock victim until they are free of electrical currents. Call 000 for immediate medical assistance.</p><p><strong>Fire safety</strong></p><p>According to Home Fire Safety, there were 3,800 house fires in 2012 resulting in the loss of 12 lives and causing property damage in excess of $97 million. The most common causes of fires are accidents or distractions from cooking, fireplaces and heater-related incidents and electrical faults. Here are some tips on how to avoid potential fire hazards:</p><ul><li>Never leave cooking, heaters or candles unattended</li><li>Don’t overload power boards</li><li>Ensure all cigarette ash and butts are out</li><li>Do not dry clothing less than a metre from heater or fire</li></ul><p>Keeping a working smoke alarm, fire blanket and extinguisher at your home and/or workplace is a great way to ensure you’re prepared for any emergencies. Teach everyone whom lives/works with you how to use all of these items so they are prepared should something happen.</p><p><strong>Accidents and injuries</strong></p><p>From cooking burns, adventurous kids with scrapes or choking on food, accidents in the home are all too common. Do you have a stocked first aid kit? Ideally, you should have a couple at home, in the car and at work. A first aid kit won’t be any help if you don’t know how to use it though. There are plenty of resources online or take a first-aid course so you will feel confident to act in a time of need.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Emergency preparation cheat-sheet:</strong></span></p><p>The most important thing to do in preparing for an emergency is to make sure you are organised before anything happens. Here’s how…</p><ul><li>Keep emergency numbers all in one place and near the phone. Include your gas, energy, water providers, as well as the numbers for the local police and doctor.</li><li>Call 000 if a serious or life-threatening situation arises. Be ready to provide your name, location, number of people involved and details of the emergency. Note: It’s never too early to teach children how to call emergency services.</li><li>Familiarise yourself on how to prepare and sustain a safe environment. There are many courses available on this topic. <a href="https://www.opentraining.edu.au/courses/whs/cert-3-work-health-safety" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Open Training Institute’s Certificate III in Work Health and Safety</strong></span></a> is a great one that teaches you how to assess and control risks as well as how to identify and prevent emergency situations.</li><li>In any case, make sure you have a plan for emergencies. This should include what to do, who to notify, how to evacuate the house and where to meet. &nbsp;</li></ul><p><em><strong>For information about the Open Training Institute and the courses on offer, or to simply ask a question, call 1300 915 692.</strong></em></p>

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