The Whittlesea Multicultural Community Council (WMCC) is organising a Health and Wellbeing Women’s Forum and Cancer Fundraiser at the Greek Centre Mezzanine on June 30.
The event aims to raise awareness about cancer, especially its impact on women, and to discuss new pain management policies introduced by the state Labour government.
Chairperson of the (WMCC), Kris Pavlidis, said last year’s forum, turned out to be successful.
“It is trying to address the reality of women when they go to their GP’s and they present with certain symptoms and yet they get dismissed,” Kris Pavlidis told Neos Kosmos.
This has led to cases where symptoms mistaken for menopause turned out to be cancer, resulting in necessary hysterectomies, said Pavlidis.
Another example includes young women with urinary tract infections (UTIs) being overlooked, despite serious symptoms.
These stories, including one featured on ‘The Project’ with Dr. Magdalena Simonis as one of the speakers, highlight the need for improved healthcare attention.
Statistics increasingly highlight the prevalence of domestic violence, emphasising the need for women to be economically independent, said Pavlidis.
The panel will feature Professor Magdalena Simonis, Wadzanai (Wadzi) Menzou, Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos, Karen Bryant, and Anthea Sidiropoulos.
Viv Nguyen, Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, will also be joining the event.
Wadzi, said WMCC’s Chairperson, “will be speaking about investment scams,” referring to her initiative “Her Economics,” which focuses on financial literacy and security for women.
Sidiropoulos will discuss her work on well-being through music, exploring alternative therapies and their soothing effects.
Apostolopoulos will talk about her cancer research work and the future directions in this field, while Magdalena Simonis will present her expertise on women’s health issues.
Karen Bryant, a First Nations cancer survivor, will share insights from her experience and address systemic barriers faced by Aboriginal women, highlighting common themes among all women’s challenges.
The event will also feature classical Indian dancers, and in the end, there will be a Q&A where audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions and share thoughts on how organizations like the Greek Community of Melbourne can address the themes and issues discussed.
All the money raised from the event will go to Cancer Council Victoria.
When: Sunday 30th June 2024 from 2pm to 5pm
Where: The Greek Centre (Mezzanine), 168 Londsdale Street, Melbourne
