Lymphoedema

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:42): This month, a tireless South Australian woman is in Canberra bringing attention to the plight of those people, mainly women, who have beaten breast cancer but still have a lifelong struggle ahead of them. Monique Bareham found that overcoming breast cancer a decade ago simply brought on another condition that will impact her for the rest of her life. No sooner had she beaten the cancer than she was diagnosed with lymphoedema, a chronic and incurable condition caused by damage to the lymphatic system. For those who go untreated, the condition can make their arms and legs swell uncontrollably and leave them housebound.

What was Monique's life sentence, though, has become a lifeline for women all around Australia. Now President of the Lymphoedema Association of South Australia, her story brings attention to the thousands of women and even men suffering from this condition. Monique is in Canberra for a parliamentary Friends of Lymphoedema launch. It is a bipartisan initiative which aims to keep improving awareness and treatment of the condition. Lymphoedema is an insidious disease and it is so cruel that it comes mainly to those who have already gone through breast cancer.

For breast cancer survivors who have gone through the chemotherapy, radiology and sometimes even the removal of their breasts, this is yet another cross to bear. Lymphoedema also affects men who have had other forms of cancer and can even affect children who are born with the condition, but mainly it affects breast cancer survivors. Around 300,000 Australians will suffer from lymphoedema at some stage of their lives, with the condition ranging from mild to very debilitating.

Every year, about 10,000 people are hospitalised as a result of the condition. It is not fair that these people are then confronted with this condition, which occurs because the cancer has damaged the lymph nodes or the cancer treatment has required their removal. Left untreated, lymphoedema can affect their ability to move and can cause skin infections, sepsis, leakage of fluid through the skin, and even a second bout of cancer.

Fortunately, Monique has been a crusader in ensuring that people with lymphoedema receive the correct treatment. By treatment, that means they receive the necessary medical aids and garments essential to controlling the condition. Compression bandages, including tailored compression garments, are essential in controlling the swelling. Lymphatic drainage massage is another treatment for those with a build-up of fluid that can become so bad it cracks the skin to find a way out.

Those aids, garments and treatments were not subsidised, which often meant that they were unavailable to sufferers in South Australia, until Monique got involved. She lobbied hard to bring attention to the plight of sufferers who could not get a subsidy to purchase essential garments, receive the right treatment and have a chance for a comfortable life. For many who are unable to work, this meant that they could simply not afford them.

This is not about party politics. Both major parties have done their bit to advance the cause and help out sufferers. After years of campaigning, while dealing with her own issues, the work of Monique and others finally achieved a result. In 2020, these essential items and services became subsidised here. I am pleased to say that the South Australian health minister, the Hon. Chris Picton, has been very supportive of Monique in her quest to improve supply, and recently increased the subsidy.

Monique Bareham is not just an inspiration, she has become a gateway for women suffering with this incurable condition, enabling them to navigate their way to a fulfilling future. In 2022, her efforts earned her the South Australian nomination for the Australia Day awards local hero. Monique Bareham is still working as hard as ever to bring the condition of lymphoedema to the public consciousness and do whatever she can to improve the life of those living with it. For that, she deserves our ongoing gratitude and recognition. For every other South Australian woman, man and child who has to go through this debilitating and insidious disease, we can be particularly thankful that we now have access to treatment.