Screening & vaccine protect women against cervical cancer

26/02/2008 0 Comments read Cancer, Gender, Health & Science

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 26.02.2008 (Women’s Feature Service): After a routine Pap smear test, Susan Tailford was diagnosed with cervical cancer at the age of 41. Each year in Australia, about 1,000 cases of cervical cancer result in the deaths of over 200 women.

“The shock of being diagnosed with any form of cancer is quite devastating. You want to blame someone, especially for a wart virus that was contracted through sexual intercourse. As there had been very few men in my life, my anger went from my ex-husband to my current partner. My ex-husband wasn’t around so my current partner had to cope with my anger and mood swings,” says Susan, a mother of two daughters.

Unlike some other cancers, cervical cancer is not hereditary. Almost all cases of cervical cancer are associated with some strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted virus.

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Maidens Set for Successful Innings

09/12/2007 0 Comments read Cricket & Sports, Gender

Lisa Sthalekar was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame on 25th August 2020, becoming the fifth Australian woman to achieve the honour. Photo Credit: © Neena Bhandari

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 09.12.2007 (Women’s Feature Service): The gentlemen’s game is catching the fancy of women, who are wielding the willow with élan. Cricket Australia, the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in the country and formally known as the Australian Cricket Board, is going all out to change the perception of cricket amongst women as an old fashioned and male-dominated game.

Announcing the first ‘Females in Cricket Strategy’, James Sutherland, Chief Executive Officer of Cricket Australia, said, “We must recognize that engaging women and girls is the key to growing the game.” The strategy provides a framework to evolve cricket to the needs of women and girls and increase their participation in all areas of the game – playing, volunteering and watching.

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Women As Science Conductors

02/06/2007 0 Comments read Gender, Health & Science

By Neena Bhandari

Melbourne, 02.06.2007 (WFS): Experts believe that if women are involved in the spread of practices based on scientific principles, society will stand a greater chance at fighting off problems related to health, environment and food security. From communicating the latest technical advancements in agriculture to ensuring access to antiretroviral and other HIV-related treatments, women and children can help transfer the findings of scientific research into communities. This was discussed at the Fifth World Conference of Science Journalists held here recently.

As Rosemary Okello-Orlale, Executive Director of the African Woman and Child Feature Service (AWCFS), a media NGO focusing on development communication in Africa says, “Being the managers of homes, environment and also the majority of agricultural produce, women are critical group for any science findings. But the role of rural women in implementing scientific research findings and innovations as a strategy to reduce poverty and disease burden is rarely discussed. Most of these women tend to be left out because majority cannot read and write.”

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