Sista Shawl project brings comfort and safety to confronting medical procedure

A new medical initiative is being rolled out in Toowoomba to bring comfort and cultural safety to an under-scanned community while undergoing a vulnerable procedure.

Sista Shawls is creating a safer space for Indigenous women getting breast screens and encouraging regular check-ups.

Women will receive a shawl designed by Indigenous artist Sharon McEvoy to improve comfort while undergoing the vulnerable procedure.

The initiative was launched at BreastScreen Toowoomba during NAIDOC Week.

Toowoomba BreastScreen chief radiographer Kim Happs said mammograms can be confronting for any woman.

“It is obviously confronting, especially with your first mammogram and not being aware of what to expect,” she said.

“You are in a very vulnerable position, having to disrobe in front of someone, letting them position your breast, and applying some pressure. That’s uncomfortable.”

She said although the experience can be uncomfortable for anyone it can be particularly confronting for First Nations women.

“Health care in general can be a bit intimidating for Indigenous women,” she said.

“They may have had negative experiences in the past with health care systems, feeling like they weren’t valued or appreciated or respected.

“So they might be a bit more hesitant to attend something like this.”

Sista Shawls introduced to Toowoomba Hospital to create a more respectful and welcoming breast screening process for First Nations women.

Studies have found Indigenous Australians have lower cancer survival rates and often receive late diagnosis, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

The shawls convey an artwork by Ms McEvoy called A Woman’s Dreaming, and carries meanings of female energy, supporting others, and breaking down barriers.

Ms Happs said just the simple gesture of seeing a shawl created by an Indigenous woman and helps protect their modesty could help encourage women to get regular mammograms.

“I think a lot of it is just being seen and being recognised with your cultural background,” she said.

“It’s something they can take with them, it’s a reminder to them that ‘you are recognised, you are valued’.

“It was important for us to do whatever we could to make sure that they’re comfortable here.”

She said this initiative will hopefully make conversations around women’s health easier.

“They go home and they show their friends and family,” she said.

“We heard ladies on the phone calling friends and going ‘are you due for a mammogram?’

“Anything that normalises these screenings is really important.”

Ms Happs said it is extremely important for women to get regular mammograms, and she said women between the ages of 50 and 74 should be getting a breast scan every two years.

“With a mammogram we are able to detect changes as small as a grain of rice, so far before anybody would be able to feel a change in their breast,” she said.

“Early detection is one of the biggest factors in having good outcomes, having good life expectancy, and lower, less invasive surgical, radiation, or chemo treatments.”

Dr Happs said women between 40 and 50 may choose to self refer themselves for breast screens particularly if they have a family history of breast cancer.

Originally published as Sista Shawl project brings comfort and safety to confronting medical procedure