Wyndham local David Hatfield says he was 12 when his mother was diagnosed with bowel cancer, and she died within nine months of a later liver cancer diagnosis. In 2025, Mr Hatfield, 48, was diagnosed with kidney cancer after an emergency visit to Stawell Hospital during a holiday in the Grampians. He says being diagnosed himself gave him a deeper understanding of his mother's experience. Ahead of Canteen's Bandanna Day on 29 October, he is asking people to listen to the stories of those affected and support the organisation's work.
A Geelong woman has shared her three decades of gambling on poker machines during Gambling Harm Awareness Week, which runs from 24 to 31 October. Punters lost more than $152 million in the City of Greater Geelong and Borough of Queenscliffe in 2025-26, the highest amount recorded locally. Jan, a recovering gambler, said she hopes her story will show others that recovery is possible. After reaching out to Meli's Gambler's Help, she said she regained control of her life.
Ovarian Cancer Australia has launched its fifth annual Workout 4 Women challenge, asking people to move every day for 30 days in November. Participants can choose a personal goal of 40km, 80km or 120km by walking, jogging, riding or doing yoga, while raising funds. The money supports free specialist nursing, psychosocial support and practical guidance by telehealth, along with information and peer connection. The organisation says ovarian cancer diagnoses are projected to rise 58 per cent by 2050. Registrations are now open for individuals and teams.
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Mornington Peninsula Shire is backing Gambling Harm Awareness Week with a free three-part podcast series. The episodes explore the effects of gambling harm, share lived experience and outline available support. Mayor Stephen Batty said the series aims to reduce stigma and encourage people to seek help early. Guests include experts from Deakin University, lived experience advocates and a representative from Gambler's Help. Episodes are released weekly from 21 October 2026 on the shire's website.
More than 40 programs and services came together at a Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Expo, held for the third year. Services on show included legal advice, temporary accommodation, health care, crisis counselling, financial assistance and police support. Organisers say bringing them together helps workers connect and form partnerships. Kim Scanlon, of Gateway Family Services, said government and non-government groups must work together, as violence affects housing, jobs, money, mental health and schooling. BOSCAR data recorded 1899 reported cases in the Penrith region in 2024, and officials say many more go unreported.
Margo Villa began helping care for her younger brother, who has autism, when she was five years old. Her mother, Krisma Villa, says the help was vital when other support was unavailable. An estimated one in 10 young people in Australia qualify as young carers, yet many are overlooked. A study in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry found two-thirds of young carers experienced extreme mental health challenges. Little Dreamers founder Maddy Buchner says young carers in regional areas face particular barriers to services and isolation.
Cafs is encouraging the Ballarat and Central Highlands community to look beyond gambling behaviour during Gambling Harm Awareness Week, running October 24 to 31, 2026. The Victorian campaign theme, Bet Different. Risk Less., highlights small changes such as taking breaks, gambling less often and setting time limits. Team Leader Linda Borner said harm often starts earlier than people expect, through stress, secrecy and financial pressure. Cafs delivers free, confidential support through its Gamblers Help program, including counselling and support for family members and friends.
Sunbury will mark National Survivors’ Day with a morning tea and community gathering on Wednesday 28 October. Hosted by Just4Causes, the event from 11am to 3pm at the Hume Global Learning Centre will bring survivors, advocates, support organisations and community representatives together. Six guest speakers will address attendees, including National Survivors’ Foundation chief executive Clare Leaney and Sunbury local Paul Levey, who will share his experience of surviving abuse by a paedophile priest. Organiser Tracie M Oldham said sexual abuse remains a deeply taboo subject, particularly in regional communities.
Banyule Council is encouraging residents to talk openly about gambling harm during Gambling Harm Awareness Week, which runs from 24 to 31 October. Mayor Alison Champion said people often suffer gambling harm in private and should know that free, confidential help exists. Gamblers Help Northern offers support to people affected by their own gambling or someone else's. BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, lets people block access to phone and online gambling providers. The council says more than $165,000 is lost on gaming machines in Banyule each day across nine local venues.
A couple from NSW's mid-north coast learned at their 12-week scan that their twins were conjoined and could not survive. Giles Hardie, a radio producer, said the news was devastating, and the couple's pregnancy was ended by a minor procedure. He said he became the family's spokesperson, delivering both the pregnancy news and the loss to friends and relatives. Hardie said he wished he had been given written guidance on supporting his partner and himself. Pink Elephants, a pregnancy loss charity, has launched an online Dad's Circle for partners.
Community Transition Care offers up to 12 weeks of short-term support for eligible people leaving hospital, but assessment must happen before discharge. Veterans can access DVA nursing and home care services, with some co-payments applying. The Commonwealth Home Support Program provides entry-level help, with eligibility based on assessed need. The Support at Home program targets people over 65 with complex needs and is income and asset tested.
Support workers in Perth say homelessness is rising and spreading to new groups. Outreach workers say more couples, families and older people are seeking help. Vinnies WA reported a 36 per cent rise in demand over the past year in Joondalup, which it linked partly to family and domestic violence and higher rents. Some rough sleepers say suitable housing is hard to find, and pets can limit options. The state government said an extra $91.1 million was included in this year's budget for homelessness services.
