‘Raising Awareness to Create Survivors!’ July is Sarcoma and Bone Cancer Awareness Month, it’s time to put on your yellow tee, wear your ribbons and raise awareness to raise much needed funds for research that will empower further research into treatment and assistance for those affected by this rare disease! In November 2007, a group of advocates in Seattle came together to unite all Sarcoma Non-profits – supported by doctors at sarctrials.org , a petition of 100,000 signatures was sent to the White House to declare the 1st of July Sarcoma Awareness Month. Due to its rarity, Sarcoma is a cancer that is often under- researched, and by providing Awareness and Support, you can help raise funds that will help develop medicines and treatments that save multiple children’s lives and the support of Sarcoma Fighters, of all ages, to navigate this difficult disease! What is Sarcoma and Bone Cancer? Sarcoma is a cancer that affects the connective tissues in the body. These are your bones, cartilage, muscles, fatty tissue, fibrous tissue, and blood vessels. Sarcomas are divided into two main categories: Soft Tissue Sarcomas: These occur in the soft tissues of the body such as fat, blood vessels, nerves, and tendons. Soft Tissue Sarcomas are commonly found in the abdomen, legs, and arms. Bone Sarcomas: Bone Sarcomas start in the bone, which affects the functioning of the bones, weakening them and leading to fractures. Sarcoma is cancer that makes up only 1% of all cancers in adults – giving it the title of the ‘Forgotten cancer. Bone Sarcoma can start anywhere in the body, but it usually starts in the pelvis or long bones. Bone Sarcoma accounts for 1/3 of Childhood Cancers and is typically found in childhood and young adulthood. There are 70 Sarcoma Subtypes Abdominal Pain Weight loss Treatment Due to the rarity of Sarcomas, treatment will differ. As this is a primary Childhood Cancer, specialist paediatric teams provide treatment to children and young adults depending on the type of Sarcoma. Adults make up only 1% of the Sarcoma population, so specialist Sarcoma Teams assist adults with varying treatments, due to the number of different sarcomas. Typical Treatments Include Surgery Radiation Therapy Chemotherapy Targeted Therapy Thermal Ablation The 5-year survival rate for Sarcomas is currently around 65%. This lowers once the cancer has spread to 50% and late-stage diagnosis is only 18%. This is why it is vital to get checked out and raise Sarcoma Awareness! GET INVOLVED! Various Events will be held worldwide to raise awareness and funds about Sarcoma and here are a few ways you can get involved! United Kingdom: Cuppa and Cake for Sarcoma (UK) – Its simple, its fun and its delicious! Bake cakes or cupcakes, invite friends and family to enjoy a slice with you, or do a local bake sale. Donations raised from Cuppa and Cake can be made through JustGiving.org, so join in the Big C Cuppa 2024 fundraiser today! United States: The Sarcoma Foundation of America has month long initiatives all over the USA to raise funds – here is how you can join: Wear Yellow Day (12 July) – Get friends, family colleagues and even pets to don those sunny yellow colours! Share photos of your yellow day on social media with the hashtag #WearYellowDay and #SarcomaAwarenessMonth Light Up for Sarcoma (26 July-) Light up your house Yellow! Get the neighbourhood to join in and approach your local municipality for assistance on getting local building or monument lit up! Locations you can visit are: Niagara Falls (New York and Canada) The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland, Ohio) Pennsylvania State Capitol (Harrisburg, PA) Philadelphia Skyline It doesn’t matter where you are in the world – Lets Make July Yellow and spread the word!

In Australia, difficulties in recruiting and retaining skilled experienced healthcare staff were reported in 2002 as occurring in both the public and private sectors in this Parliamentary report. At the time it was anticipated that the situation would not improve in the foreseeable future. In Chapter 2 of this report, titled Nurse shortages and the impact on health services, anecdotal evidence indicated that "75 per cent of nurses in hospital wards were talking about leaving, and that some hospitals reported that they experience a 30 per cent turnover of nurses each year." This report also indicated that nurses were working greater amounts of overtime, and there had been an increased use of agency nurses. While much has changed in the world since 2002, what rings true is the increased use of agency nurses and healthcare staff. At Health Staffing we’re proud of the role our agency staff, both nurses, assistant nurses and many other role types, play in assisting Facility Managers, Hospitals and Healthcare providers when they are managing their staffing rosters. In today's article I explore how my team and I maintain a high quality of agency staff, and suggest a number of ways you can better manage staff shortages.