GenesisCare celebrates WA PRIDE
The theme of this year’s WA pride is BRAVE, be brave, be strong, be you!
This November we celebrate WA Pride month and here at GenesisCare, we believe that all patients should be treated inclusively and aim to deliver welcoming healthcare services that embrace and support all people, no matter how they identify. We are committed to delivering inclusive and welcoming healthcare for all members of LGBTIQA+ communities.*
We strive for ongoing improvement to ensure our centres and clinical teams are well-equipped to help provide an inclusive and welcoming healthcare environment to all people in LGBTIQA+ communities.
As part of this commitment, we have registered all Australian GenesisCare centres with the Welcome Here Project. Now all sites have their own respective ‘allies’ that aim to be a source of information for their centre. This project helps businesses and services throughout Australia create and promote environments that are visibly inclusive and welcoming to all members of LGBTIQA+ communities. To learn more about the Welcome Here Project, please visit their website at: www.welcomehere.org.au.
At GenesisCare Hollywood in Perth, we are especially passionate about the LGBTIQA+ community and mindfully consider how we can cater our care to each individual in an effort to offer comprehensive and inclusive healthcare. Some of our staff also proudly identify as a member of the LGBTIQA+ community and have excitedly welcomed this year’s Pride month. To celebrate, we have decorated the department to show support for the community, and held a Pride dress up day incorporating all colours of the inclusive rainbow. At our monthly site meeting, we have taken the opportunity to provide further education at our site by discussing pronouns and inclusive language, important considerations for LGBTIQA+ health and how GenesisCare can do their part to bridge the gap in LGBTIQA+ healthcare.
Across Perth, Pridefest is a celebration of everyone’s unique identity and is proudly celebrated by community members and allies alike. Championed by the Pride Parade held on the 25th of November, events are held all month long including Fairday, drag brunches, art exhibitions and performances – all to be closed off with the popular Pride Parade Closing party.
In the spirit of Pride, we asked some of the staff at GenesisCare Hollywood what they think of the steps GenesisCare is taking to be a more inclusive healthcare provider.
Members of the team shared:
“I am grateful for the Welcome Here Program as it gives me the opportunity to be educated on LGBTIQA+ topics that I previously had limited knowledge on. I also love being able to celebrate and support my friends, colleagues and patients” – Kayla Hayes-Rodrigues, Registered Nurse
“These changes really make our patients feel included and considered. With the new ability for patients to inform us how they identify means we can create a safe space for the patients, which results in the best possible care without excluding anyone “ – Kayla Shaw, Senior Patient Services Officer
“I think it is an amazing step forward. As someone who identifies as a part of the LGBTIQA+ community, something as simple as a ‘Welcome Here’ sign creates a sense of relief and safety when I enter a business” – Brayden Ribeiro, Radiation Therapist
Other recent steps GenesisCare has taken include:
- Updated patient registration forms to include nonbinary gender options - we ask this question to allow us to ensure the people who visit each centre are getting the care and support relevant to their needs
- Diversity and inclusion education and training for all members of our care teams
Useful resources
For more information about how cancer and its treatment may affect LGBTIQA+ people, you can download the “LGBTQI+ People and Cancer” booklet from the Cancer Council website at: www.cancercouncil.com.au/cancer-information/lgbtqi.
If you have any questions or concerns about your experience at GenesisCare, please reach out to a member of your care team. You can also provide feedback here or contact your care centre directly.
*Other variations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual, and other sexually or gender diverse (LGBTIQA+) acronym exist to describe people and groups who identify as sexually or gender diverse. We acknowledge the limitations of this term to fully encompass peoples’ sexualities, genders, relationships, and experiences.
Written by: Brayden Ribeiro (he/him), Radiation Therapist, Welcome Here Ambassador GenesisCare Hollywood
