So Brave 2021 Calendar Launch for Breast Cancer Bellingen Coffs Coast Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - September 18, 2020 Bellingen So Brave Ambassador Dr Olivia Bell, a breast cancer survivor, has developed guidelines for GPs and diagnostic testing. Photo courtesy of So Brave, Bodypaint Artist – Wendy Fantasia, Photographer – Jay Black, In the Trees Photography BREAST cancer survivors are featured in the recently released Special Edition 2021 So Brave Calendar. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au Sales of the 2021 calendar support So Brave’s mission to empower young breast cancer survivors, educate the next generation of young women and fund research to change the future for young women. Most years the So Brave Ambassadors are body painted and photographed. This year the team was unable to do so but have nevertheless released another amazing calendar. A local Bellingen based So Brave Ambassador is Dr Olivia Bell who was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 37, featured in the 2018 calendar and has been instrumental in forming new guidelines for women with breast cancer. “For the calendar in 2018 I helped develop a guide to women of what changes to look for,’ Dr Bell told News Of The Area. “We developed a checklist for women as a guide on how to approach talking to doctors about breast cancer. “This was followed up by new guidelines for GPs to perform diagnostic testing even if a doctor can’t feel a lump as women know their bodies and can feel changes before lumps may be detectable under a physical examination.” Dr Bell continues to provide breast education sessions whenever she can to reinforce what each of us should be looking for each month and how to approach GPS on how to have those changes investigated. According to the Australian Government Cancer Australia In 2020, it is estimated that 19,974 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in Australia (167 males and 19,807 females). The estimated number of deaths from breast cancer in 2020 will be 33 males and 2, 997 females which is an estimated 6.3% of all deaths from cancer in 2020. The chance of surviving at least five years according to figures from 2012 to 2016, is 91%. So Brave have continued to work with their So Brave Model Ambassador candidates throughout a trying year, which has included the loss of one of their beautiful young ladies – Belinda. She was a very valued member of their community and artist Kyla Morgan has painted Belinda for what would have been her Calendar month – November. By Sandra MOON
