I rise today to talk about the important work of Pink Hope, an incredible national organisation based in my electorate that supports people with a high risk of hereditary breast, ovarian or prostate cancer. I recently met with Robyn Smith from the organisation to talk about their work. One in 400 people currently face this risk of hereditary cancer, particularly those carrying the BRCA gene. Pink Hope is there to help people understand and reduce that risk, providing evidence based information, support and advocacy.

People faced with finding they are at risk of dealing with these difficult decisions, including about surgery to reduce their risk, can go to Pink Hope to help navigate that difficult path. There are currently approximately 20,000 BRCA carriers in Australia, meaning that in each of our electorates there are around 280 individuals carrying the gene mutation, with most of them not being aware. Carriers will have a 50 per cent chance of developing breast cancer by the time they turn 70 and a 30 per cent chance of developing ovarian cancer. Currently, only around 4,000 Australians undergo publicly funded genetic testing each year. Knowing your genetic status can have a huge impact on your treatment options and surgery decisions.

I congratulate Pink Hope on their work to break the cycle of hereditary cancer in Australian families. They are making a difference a real difference every day to create a brighter, healthier future for us all.