Health Matters EBOP July 2019 | Page 4

For Jayne Beeching having cared for women who’ve had mastectomies to survive breast cancer, is motivation enough for her to have regular mammograms. The Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora Clinical Nurse Manager is encouraging women in the Eastern Bay to do the same. For many years Jayne was a District Health Nurse; changing wound dressings of women who’d had breast surgery to increase their chance of surviving breast cancer, was part of the role. “When you’re tending to those post-operative wounds, it really puts things into perspective. Putting up with that discomfort during a mammogram is nothing compared to losing a breast.” Breast cancer is the most common cancer aff ecting women in New Zealand. More than 3,000 women are diagnosed every year and more than 600 women die from the disease. You are more likely to survive breast cancer if it is found early and is still small. Mammograms can show changes inside a breast before they can be felt. Jayne has been having regular mammograms as part of the free BreastScreen Aotearoa screening programme for several years. “I have three daughters. It’s really important that they know to check themselves regularly, get to feel any changes in their breasts. For me, having regular mammograms is part of ‘walking the talk’ to them.” This year Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora held an education evening, where survivors of breast cancer shared their stories and women could talk about their breast screening experiences. “The feedback we’ve received about the evening from our wāhine has been really positive and we plan to do this again in the summer. For some, being able to hear from local women about their experiences can have a real impact on whether a woman chooses to screen or not.” BreastScreen Aotearoa is New Zealand’s free national breast screening programme for women aged between 45 and 69. It was rolled out across the country in in 1999, reducing the breast cancer death rate by more than 34%. Enrolling is easy – Freephone 0800 270 200, or talk to your doctor or your practice nurse can enrol you, or you can enrol online. www.timetoscreen.nz Above Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora Clinical Nurse Manager Jayne Beeching says the discomfort during a mammogram is nothing compared to losing a breast. Elections for Bay of Plenty District Health Board members Positions Elections for the Bay of Plenty District Health Board will be required for seven positions, elected ‘at large’ from the Board area which comprises the areas of the Kawerau District Council, Ōpōtiki District Council, Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Whakatāne District Council. In addition, following the election, the Minister of Health appoints a further four members, making a total of 11 members per Board. Electoral Roll Later this year you will be asked to vote for Board members for the Bay of Plenty District Health Board. The elections will be held at the same time as the triennial city/district council elections and you will start to notice the VOTE 2019 Local Elections advertisements. If you are eligible to vote but not on the Electoral Roll, you will need to get enrolled by Friday 16 August. Copies of the electoral rolls are available at libraries and city/district councils. All parliamentary electors, including those on the Māori Electoral Roll, are automatically enrolled on local government resident electoral roll, at the address where they live. Nominations Nominations for people who want to put their names forward for election opened on Friday 19 July 2019 and close at 12 noon on Friday 16 August, 2019. Free dental packs for Rheumatic fever patients Above: Tori appreciates the dental pack initiative, arriving on horseback seback to pick up his pack. Above right: Three year old Kyani Tai was among a group of children screen printing the ‘Stop Sore Throats Hurting Hearts’ recycled bags at Torere marae as part of Matariki celebrations. Rheumatic fever patients in the Bay of Plenty are being provided with free dental packs to reduce the risk of further heart damage. Each month 84 patients in the Bay have monthly injections of Benzathine penicillin to safeguard them from Group A Streptococcus (GAS) bacteria doing further damage to their hearts. Maintaining good oral health is also really important for these patients as bacterial complications from dental diseases can also cause damage to their hearts. District Health Nurses are handing out the packs to their patients, many of whom are children or young adults, when they see them for their monthly injections. The packs contain a toothbrush, toothpaste, fl oss and key health messages. Tori Tai who is 14, was the fi rst patient to receive the dental pack in Ōpōtiki. At eight, Tori was diagnosed with rheumatic fever after going to his GP having returned from a holiday complaining of a sore throat. For the past six years, he has been having monthly injections. Tori has an active life. His passion for kapa haka has seen him lead his Ōpōtiki College roopu (group) in the recent Mātaatua regionals, qualifying for next year’s national competition. He is also a staunch member of Te Whare Tu Taua Ki Whakatōhea where he is striving in mau rākau. His other love is riding his horse. Sore throat swabbing services to detect strep throat which, if untreated, can lead to rheumatic fever, are available at many pharmacies and schools across the Bay of Plenty. Nomination papers are available from: • www.bopdhb.govt.nz • telephoning 0800 922 822 • Bay of Plenty District Health Board (Board Secretary, CEO Offi ce, Tauranga Hospital, Cameron Road, Tauranga) • the electoral offi ce (Election Services, Level 2, 198 Federal Street, Auckland). Completed nomination papers can be returned by post or hand to the electoral offi ce or to one of the city/district council offi ces in the Board area. The single transferable voting (STV) will be used for the Bay of Plenty District Health Board election. Polling places For more information visit https://www.bopdhb.govt.nz/health-advice/ a-z-of-health-advice/rheumatic-fever/ Dental visits • Have a dental check- up every 6 months. • Brush your teeth twice each day with fl uoride toothpaste. • Use dental fl oss daily to clean between your teeth. • Choose water or milk to drink. • Make sure your dentist knows that you have had rheumatic fever as you may need extra antibiotics before some types of dental treatment. Polling places for the issuing of special voting documents and for the receiving of completed voting documents will be available from each respective city/district council offi ce in the Board area from Friday 20 September to noon Saturday 12 October 2019. Want more information? For further information regarding this election please contact the electoral offi ce: Phone: 0800 922 822 Voting Period Email: [email protected] Voting documents will be sent to all eligible electors, post, from Friday 20 September, 2019. The voting period is three weeks (Friday 20 September 2019 to noon Saturday 12 October 2019). Electors may post their completed voting documents back to the respective city/district council electoral offi cer using the orange pre- paid envelope sent with their voting documents. Mail: Dale Ofsoske, Electoral Offi cer, BOPDHB, C/- PO Box 5135, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141 Or go to the Bay of Plenty District Health Board’s website https://www.bopdhb.govt.nz/your-dhb/ board-and-committees/bop-district- health-board/election-information/