50 years of challenging cancer - timeline
380BC – Hippocrates credited with coining the term ‘cancer’ from the Greek word for crab, ‘karkinos’
1940s – Cancer begins to emerge as a major health issue for WA
1950s – Landmark studies in the UK and US conclude that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer (75% of Australian men were smokers at this time)
1950 – Public Health Department establishes the Cancer Research Unit in Nedlands
1952 – Minister for Health, Dame Florence Cardell-Oliver recognises the public’s desire to donate money for cancer activities and places an advertisement to encourage people to make donations to cancer research in lieu of flowers at funerals
1955 – WA represented at a Federal Government inter-State Cancer Conference to assist State Anti-Cancer Councils to coordinate cancer detection, treatment and stimulate cancer research
1956 – First meeting of the WA Anti-Cancer Council
Public appeal for WA’s first linear accelerator (radiotherapy machine) for cancer treatment. Volunteers help with the appeal which raises £116, 773 and allows an order to be placed for the new machine to be housed at the new Institute of Radiotherapy at UWA. The Linear Accelerator replaced the ‘Cobalt Bomb’ which was the first type of radiotherapy used in Perth.
1958 – The Cancer Council of Western Australia Act introduced to Parliament and proclaimed a year later in 1959.
1960s – Treasury pays Cancer Council £19, 600 a year towards the cost of the Council and the Institute of Radiotherapy
The Cancer Council begins to lobby the Health Department to undertake public education about the dangers of tobacco.
The Cancer Council joins the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) and remains a part of this important international body today.
1961 – The new linear accelerator installed and the first patient treated.
The first paid employee of the Cancer Council appointed. Mr AJ Shears was appointed Secretary on an annual salary of £1, 720.
1963 - ‘Crusade Against Cancer’ fundraising appeal launched. Events included a gala charity preview of the ‘Flower Drum Song’ at the Piccadilly Theatre. The appeal went on to raise £100, 000. Fundraising crusades were held for several more years.
The Ladies Auxilliary of the ‘Crusade Against Cancer’ appeal committee was formed to assist with fundraising – the Ladies Auxiliary still exists today.
First annual debutante ball held raising £600.
The Cancer Council grants £3, 000 for the establishment of a voluntary cancer registry (cancer was not a notifiable disease at this stage).
The Cancer Council contributes £3, 500 to the Scientific and Advisory Committee for small research projects and the first vacation scholarships for tertiary students were awarded – this program continues today.
The Cancer Council begins its cancer prevention initiative with £4, 000 allocated to a Public Education Program.
1970s – More emphasis on providing services and support to cancer patients sees the establishment of Cancer Service Committee
Perth becomes the only place in the world where the Tronado machine is used when Premier John Tonkin offers the Tronado machine to Dr J Holt at the Institute for Radiotherapy at Sir Charles Gairdener Hospital. Controversy continues to surround the use of the machine and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital stopped using Tronado in 1975 after a report by the National Health & Medical Research Council found the treatment had ‘no therapeutic benefit’.
Cancer Council runs the State Cancer Registry and the Leukaemia & Allied Disorders Registry from its offices – notification is voluntary.
1972 - Bone Tumour Registry established – the first such registry in Australia which continues to provide important data on bone tumours.
1973 – Success in national tobacco control with legislation implemented requiring all cigarette packages to carry the statement ‘Warning - Smoking is a Health Hazard’.
1977 – Breast Cancer Support Service established (then known as the Mastectomy Rehabilitation Service). Temporary breast prostheses provided with help from the Country Women’s Assoc.
1979 - Cancer Council sued for defamation by Solarium Association for its criticism of solariums
1978 – Lotteries Commission and Cancer Council grants allows opening of the first country patient accommodation at Anstey House, part of the nurses home at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
1979 – ‘John Wayne Cancer Appeal’ raises $380, 000. John Wayne’s planned visit to Perth cancelled due to his own treatment for lung cancer. Betty Ford also offers to help.
Cancer Council launches a free will service
1981 – Cancer becomes a notifiable disease – the Cancer Registry is later handed over to the WA Health Department, where it remains today
1982 – the Cancer Council becomes an incorporated not-for-profit organisation and independent from government, as it continues to be today.
Hospice Palliative Care Service established with Silver Chain Nursing with Silver Chain taking over the service in 1985, with continued assistance from the Cancer Council
First Jack Clancy concert held to raise funds for hospice care. These concerts have raised more than $120,000
1985 – Cancer Council establishes a medical counselling service for cancer patients, their families and friends
Familial Adenomatous Polyposis registry established to help families with this inherited condition – the registry was the first in Australia
1987 – Cottage Hospice, first purpose-built, free standing hospice in the country,
opens in Shenton Park.
Cancer Council begins to import and supply breast prostheses from Germany
1988 - Cancer Council supports former asbestos miners with mesothelioma in their struggle for compensation during lengthy trials in WA’s Supreme Court. Cancer Council Board sued for defamation by lawyers acting for CSR-Midalco
Cancer Council report recommends breast cancer screening program, which is later (1992) established by WA Health Department after a public campaign. This service operate today as Breastscreen WA.
1989 – Slip, Slop, Slap campaign goes to air for the first timeAustralia’s first skin cancer prevention shop opens at Cancer Council premises in Ord Street with the aim of making sun protection merchandise affordable. In the first four days of trading, 14, 000 sunglasses were sold and orders taken for another 15, 000. All states now sell Cancer Council merchandise turning over $12.8 million a year.
Cancer Council joins with College of Dermatologists to provide free skin checks on Perth beaches and country areas. Cancer Council WA launches its own brand of sunscreen. At this time there was sunscreen was expensive, not widely available and there was no Australian Standard for sunscreens.
1990 - After intense lobbying, the Tobacco Control Act 1990 came into force to regulate the sale and promotion of tobacco.Cancer Council opens new retail shops in Subiaco and Perth city.
1991 – The Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation, now known as Healthway, is established under the Tobacco Control Act 1990. Healthway continues to be an important supporter of many Cancer Council programs.
Cancer Council provides $2 million for the upgrade of the Department of Radiotherapy at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
$500,000 given to Royal Perth Hospital’s Department of Haematology to purchase equipment for Bone Marrow Transplants. The Cancer Council also assists with the establishment of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Registry.
Cancer Council Wig Service established to provide wigs to women during breast cancer treatment. This service now provides hundreds of wigs to women across WA every year
Cancer Connect volunteer program commences to provide support to people living with cancer. This service continues today across Western Australia with volunteers proving practical and emotional support to hundreds of cancer patients each year
1991 – Cancer Council receives $300,000 from Healthway for a pilot skin cancer program for 12-25 year olds
1993 – first national Daffodil Day fundraiser. The Jarvis family of Donnybrook donates 300,000 daffodils for sale.
1994 – inaugural Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea event held.
A new computerised cancer information service introduced with $100,000 grant from the AH Crawford Cancer Treatment Society. Now known as the Cancer Council Helpline, this service answers more than 12, 000 calls a year from people needing information or assistance.
Australia’s Breast Cancer Day first held as breast cancer emerges as a major issue across the country – mastectomy patient Glenys Kirk appears on the front page of The West Australian to raise awareness of breast cancer.
First Regional Education Officers (REOs) appointed in Albany, Geraldton,and Bunbury. REOs are still in these regional centres today along with Kalgoorlie and Karratha
1995 – Day hospice at the Shenton Park site officially opened by Mrs Doreen Crawford
1997 - Western Australian Clinical Oncology Group established under the auspices of the Cancer Council
1998 – The Cancer Council celebrates its 40th anniversary
First Cancer Council Chair of Behavioural Research in Cancer Control established at Curtin University
1999 – AH Crawford Lodge, the new country patient accommodation in Nedlands, takes its first guests. Built at a cost of $5 million raised through a capital appeal involving the corporate sector.led by Mr Phillip CrabbNew regulations prohibit smoking in enclosed public places, with exemptions for licensed premises such as pubs and clubs.
2000 – Statewide tobacco control campaign Target 15 established by the Cancer Council with support from the Department of Health and Healthway. Now known as Make Smoking History, this successful campaign is highly regarded nationally and internationally. First State Cancer Conference run by the Cancer Council. This conference is now a biennial event for clinicians, health professionals and consumers.
2001 – Parental Guidance Recommended (PGR) nutrition campaign begins
First Relay for Life event held at Perry Lakes. Relay events are now held in regional centres across WA every year.
Cancer Council Chair in Palliative Care established at Edith Cowan University
The role of cancer patients in decision making and services recognised with the establishment of the Consumer Participation Project.
2002 – The Fresh Start Program is established based on the highly successful smoking cessation program from Quit Victoria. Fresh Start delivers training for health professionals and group courses to help smokers quit.
2003 – Cancer Council Chair of Clinical Cancer Research at the University of Western Australia.
Cancer Voices WA a consumer led patient advocacy group established with assistance from the CCWA
2006 – The Cancer Council launches a campaign featuring Zita Roberts, a young Perth mother dying from lung cance, which becomes its most successful anti-smoking campaign.
The Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 is introduced, significantly strengthening controls on the marketing and supply of tobacco in Western Australia. Enclosed public places in pubs and clubs go smoke-free, and larger graphic health warnings start appearing on cigarette packages.
