• Podcast uses audio interviews to share vital public health information with Samoan women.
• Produced by National University of Samoa Faculty of Health Science with support from the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme.
• First series focuses on breast cancer, one of the most common cancers affecting women in Samoa.
• The podcast is hosted on Podbean and can accessed via https://samoanwomenshealth.podbean.com/

On December 17^th 2021, the podcast series “Talanoa i le afaina o le soifua maloloina o tina Samoa”, Talking about Women’s Health in Samoa, was launched via a TV interview with National University of Samoa TV. This podcast series was produced by the Faculty of Health Science at the National University of Samoa, under the mentorship of Jess O’Callaghan of the Australia Broadcasting Corporation and was funded by Australia Aid – Pacific Media Assistance Scheme.

This project emerged from a podcasting training delivered in July 2021by an experienced podcaster and training through the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme. The podcast training covered podcasting and storytelling, crafting, workflow, editing and distribution over one week. The training was attended by two faculty members of the School of Nursing at the National University of Samoa. The Pacific Media Assistance Scheme subsequently approved a proposal for a pilot series on women’s health, focused on breast cancer.

This podcast series seeks to make this information accessible and available to women, in the Samoan language through their mobile devices and the internet.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women in Samoa, with many women presenting late for medical care, which can affect the ability to successfully treat it. Early detection and treatment is critical. Unfortunately breast cancer is a difficult topic to discuss in Samoa, as the breast is considered a sexual and reproductive part of the body.

Throughout the development of “Talanoa i le afaina o le soifua maloloina o tina Samoa”, the team has been mentored by Jess O’ Callaghan an experienced podcaster at the Australia Broadcasting Corporation. Jess has provided guidance on script design, how to use Reaper for sound editing, how to record sound with the equipment we were able to access locally, and how to upload to Podbean.

The podcast is hosted on Podbean and can accessed via https://samoanwomenshealth.podbean.com/. This series topic is breast cancer, and the series is comprised of four episodes, each between 9 – 20 minutes in length. Over the four episodes, listeners will learn what is breast cancer, risk factors for breast cancer, how it affects the body, how it is detected and how it is treated. Listeners will also hear from a survivor of breast cancer and learn how to do a breast self-examination.

The team is comprised of Falelua Maua, Saunima’a Ma Fulu – Aiolupotea, Dr. Filipina Amosa Lei-Sam, Dr. Sione Pifeleti, Dr. Mayday Fanueli, Peseta Saeu Tualima, Jess O’ Callaghan and Ramona Boodoosingh.

Quotes

Quote from Kate Seymour, Project Manager, ABC International Development

“It’s exciting to hear Pacific women podcasters making local language content that addresses real audience concerns.  ABC International Development and Pacific Media Assistance Scheme congratulate NUS on being media pioneers in this area.” 

Quote from Jess O’Callaghan, Mentor, ABC

“Working with the NUS team, it has been incredible to see their strengths as podcasters grow throughout production. As their podcast industry mentor, I’ve learnt a lot about how effective audio can be as a public health communication tool. The privacy, trust and one-on-one relationship with the listener makes for a unique sort of communication, and NUS have played to these strengths.”

Quote from Ramona Boodoosingh, local coordinator, National University of Samoa- Faculty of Health Science

“Podcasting provides an opportunity to reach more women, and to give them control over when they wish to access this health information. It has also been a learning experience for the team, to develop scripts, translation, and how to successfully edit. It is hoped that this will be the first of many series that will help women to make more informed decisions about their health.”

Quote from Dr. Filipina Amosa Lei-Sam, Head of the School of Medicine at the National University of Samoa

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer that affects women in Samoa and worldwide and it can be prevented or treated by detecting it early through breast cancer screening programmes”.

Quote from Falelua Maua, registered Nurse and Nursing Instructor at the National University of Samoa.

“Seeing is Believing”, witnessing how patients, their children, husbands, and families go through due to late presentations and irreversible complications of Breast Cancer is heartbreaking hence why this topic is of utmost important.