BREAST | Under represented groups in the breast narrative
Tracks
216
| Sunday, June 15, 2025 |
| 11:30 AM - 12:55 PM |
| 216 | Lecture Rm |
Overview
Chair | Ms Frauke Lever
Speaker
Mrs Maddie Cairns
Breast Screen Victoria
Breast screening initiative to ensure equal access to all
11:30 AM - 11:50 AMAbstract
BreastScreen Victoria is committed to providing accessible and inclusive breast cancer screening services for all eligible Victorians. As part of the national BreastScreen Australia program, we offer free mammograms to individuals aged 50 to 74, with a strong focus on ensuring equitable participation across diverse communities.
Recognising the unique barriers faced by different populations, BreastScreen Victoria has implemented targeted initiatives to improve access and engagement. For Aboriginal women, the Beautiful Shawl Project provides a culturally safe screening experience, helping to overcome barriers such as fear, shame, and past negative healthcare experiences. Similarly, our Multicultural Engagement Project focuses on overcoming language barriers, mistrust of the medical system, and cultural stigmas by providing translated materials, interpreter support, and community outreach.
To support LGBTIQA+ individuals, BreastScreen Victoria has achieved Rainbow Tick accreditation and established partnerships, including with The Pride Centre, to create welcoming and inclusive screening environments. Dedicated screening sessions and inclusive training for staff ensure a safe and respectful experience. For people with disabilities, we are trialling sensory-friendly clinics, offering seated mammograms, and providing longer appointment times to enhance accessibility.
In addition to these targeted programs, we are expanding access to breast screening through innovative solutions such as Mobile Screening Services, which bring vital health services to rural and regional communities. Our new Women’s Health Mobile Clinic integrates cancer screening with sexual and reproductive healthcare, ensuring holistic support for women in underserved areas.
By continuously engaging with consumers and community groups, BreastScreen Victoria is working towards equitable participation in breast screening by 2026. Through innovation, cultural awareness, and inclusive service delivery, we are making breast screening more accessible and ensuring that every eligible Victorian has the opportunity to prioritise their breast health.
Recognising the unique barriers faced by different populations, BreastScreen Victoria has implemented targeted initiatives to improve access and engagement. For Aboriginal women, the Beautiful Shawl Project provides a culturally safe screening experience, helping to overcome barriers such as fear, shame, and past negative healthcare experiences. Similarly, our Multicultural Engagement Project focuses on overcoming language barriers, mistrust of the medical system, and cultural stigmas by providing translated materials, interpreter support, and community outreach.
To support LGBTIQA+ individuals, BreastScreen Victoria has achieved Rainbow Tick accreditation and established partnerships, including with The Pride Centre, to create welcoming and inclusive screening environments. Dedicated screening sessions and inclusive training for staff ensure a safe and respectful experience. For people with disabilities, we are trialling sensory-friendly clinics, offering seated mammograms, and providing longer appointment times to enhance accessibility.
In addition to these targeted programs, we are expanding access to breast screening through innovative solutions such as Mobile Screening Services, which bring vital health services to rural and regional communities. Our new Women’s Health Mobile Clinic integrates cancer screening with sexual and reproductive healthcare, ensuring holistic support for women in underserved areas.
By continuously engaging with consumers and community groups, BreastScreen Victoria is working towards equitable participation in breast screening by 2026. Through innovation, cultural awareness, and inclusive service delivery, we are making breast screening more accessible and ensuring that every eligible Victorian has the opportunity to prioritise their breast health.
Biography
Madeline Cairns | Breast Screen Victoria |
Engagement Manager | Consumer & Community Engagement | Aboriginal Health | Multicultural Outreach | Project Leadership
Madeline Cairns is a dedicated Engagement Manager with a strong focus on improving access to essential health services for Aboriginal and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. With extensive experience in consumer engagement, program development, and stakeholder collaboration, she leads initiatives that enhance inclusivity and cultural safety in healthcare.
In her role at BreastScreen Victoria (BSV), Madeline drives key engagement strategies, ensuring that diverse communities have equitable access to screening services. She leads the Beautiful Shawl Project, creating culturally safe breast screening experiences for Aboriginal women, and oversees multicultural engagement, forging partnerships with AMES, community groups, and health networks to strengthen outreach and participation. Her expertise spans stakeholder engagement, strategic program delivery, and advocacy for healthcare equity
Madeline is passionate about building meaningful community partnerships, amplifying consumer voices, and driving initiatives that create lasting impact in public health.
Ms Sara Kernick
Chief Sonographer
Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Paediatric breast
11:50 AM - 12:10 PMAbstract
Breast is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about paediatric ultrasound! Although it is not a frequent examination breast ultrasound in children plays a role in both pathological and developmental conditions and and can assist the clinician with course of treatment. We will delineate the ultrasound appearance of the normal development of the breast and delve into some pathologies that are "commonly" seen.
Biography
Ms Sara Kernick |
Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
Sara Kernick is currently the Lead Sonographer at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne where she has worked for over 20 years after returning home from working at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London.
Since returning she has tried her hand at many varied roles in sonography including women’s imaging and corporate applications but the call of paediatric sonography is all too compelling.
Her hot topics are paediatric hip, liver transplantation and sonographer education.
Mrs Frauke Lever
Monash Health
Male breast
12:10 PM - 12:30 PMBiography
Mrs Frauke Lever |
Monash Health
Frauke has been working as a sonographer for Monash Health since 2005, and is now the Deputy Sonographer in Charge at Monash Health.
She has a particular interest in women's health imaging, especially tertiary breast and gynaecological ultrasound, including pelvic floor imaging. As well as a fascination for new ultrasound technologies, their potential impact on patient management and ways of integrating these into the daily sonographer workflow.
She has presented both nationally and internationally.
Ms Natasha Roussel
Senior Sonographer
South East Radiology
What does being inclusive look like in breast imaging
12:30 PM - 12:50 PMAbstract
Members of the LGBTQI community are reluctant to seek medical help due to previous negative experiences or perceived negative experiences with healthcare. The medical system can appear rigid, mostly inflexible, and individual biases from treating clinicians all contribute to queer people not engaging in healthcare. Unfortunately these individuals also suffer poorer health outcomes due to the stigma they face in society, particularly those who are trans or identify as gender diverse.
Sonographers are given very limited education during formal studies in how to interact with these patients, often relying on their own personal experiences when interacting with the patient.
This presentation aims to educate the sonographer who may encounter a patient who identifies as a member of the LGBTQI community, in how to provide them with empathic and gender affirming care.
Sonographers are given very limited education during formal studies in how to interact with these patients, often relying on their own personal experiences when interacting with the patient.
This presentation aims to educate the sonographer who may encounter a patient who identifies as a member of the LGBTQI community, in how to provide them with empathic and gender affirming care.
Biography
Ms Natasha Roussel |
South East Radiology/NSW Health
Natasha is a Sonographer and Radiographer located on the South Coast of NSW. She has a particular interest in Paediatric and MSK imaging. She also is passionate about improving the experiences of patients in the LGBTQI community when interacting with the health system, by educating fellow Sonographers and allied health colleagues in providing gender affirming care.
