Hello everyone, welcome to today's Friday update.
Last week was a very busy week for BCNA with the official launch of the State of the Nation report at Parliament House by our CEO Kirsten Pilatti. If you haven’t seen the report click here
Marianne, Rosie, Danielle and Kirsten attended the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA) annual conference last week In Brisbane. The pre-conference Breast Care Symposium was hosted in conjunction with The McGrath Foundation. Around 170 Breast Care Nurses from across Australia were among the nearly 700 conference attendees. BCNA was represented by Danielle Spence, Director of Advocacy, Policy and Programs at BCNA, and an experienced BCN herself. Kirsten Pillati, CEO of BCNA, presented key findings and priorities from the State of the Nation report to the Breast Care Nurses. There was a great sense of collegiality between BCNA, the McGrath Foundation and CNSA and the three organisation have committed to working together to advocate for increasing the number of metastatic breast care nurses around Australia.
The Townsville forum was held last Friday 22 June and was well attended and provided participants the opportunity to gain more information and to connect with others.
Field
of Women Only 43 days to go!
If you are planning to book your tickets, please go to our website to book and secure your tickets and pre-order your event scarf (stock is very limited): www.bcna.org.au/fieldofwomen
Tickets are $59 or Children U15 Free and include: entry to the MCG, participation in Field of Women, an event gift pack with back pack, pink poncho, commemorative keyring, product samples and event voucher booklet plus a seat to the Melbourne V Sydney Swans AFL Match after Field of Women. The Family Festival will run outside the MCG in Yarra Park from 11am with event gift bag and pre-ordered scarves also available for collection.
Community highlights
Every week we have so much variety in the posts being shared in the online network. See below some popular conversations you might have missed:
1. Ellamary98 posted I can’t connect with my diagnosis
Five years after her initial breast cancer diagnosis, Ellamary98 was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in her bones. The thread talks about the trouble she is having connecting with her diagnosis. How hard it is to comprehend a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer when you feel so well. Our online community provided lots of support and shared their experiences in telling friends and family.
2. PatsyN asked How do waiting lists work?
Great thread commenced by PatsyN asking about waiting lists, the process of getting on a list and how to find out where you are on the list!
3. Nikov commenced Events for Women with BC
Great thread initiated by nikov pulling together a calendar of national breast cancer events.
Community News
Young Women’s Groups
Our young women’s online group now has a new facilitator, please welcome jane84. Please see the link below from jane84 with
Webcast Just diagnosed: what’s next?
If you missed this week’s webcast, you can access the link below to view on-demand. You need to register first and then you can log in to view the webcast,
http://www.webcasts.com.au/bcna270618/
Please note this link is valid for a period of 12 months.
Plan C Living well with metastatic breast cancer Saturday 11 August
Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) is hosting the Plan C conference in Melbourne on Saturday 11 August (the day before Field of Women). The focus of the conference will be living well with metastatic breast cancer. Leading experts will share tips and strategies for coping with the emotional, physical and practical challenges of metastatic breast cancer.
Speakers:
- Professor Robert Newton – Associate Dean, Medical and Exercise Sciences and Co-Director of the Exercise Medicine Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, WA
- Janine Porter-Steele – sexual wellbeing expert
- Carrie Lethborg – Clinical Leader, Cancer Social Work, Co-ordinator Psychosocial Cancer Care, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Vic
- Lisa Allwell – yoga and meditation teacher
The speakers will be followed by an optional afternoon social activity of kokedama making.
Register early as places are limited. Please include the name of your guest when you register.
If you have any questions, please email conference@bcna.org.au
Venue BCNA, 293 Camberwell Road, Camberwell Vic
Volunteer at Field of Women
BCNA is looking for 300 passionate volunteers to support us at this year’s Field of Women. There are a variety of shifts available between 9am – 5pm. If you’d like to volunteer with team BCNA, please contact Chloe Douglas for more information and to register at specialevents@bcna.org.au or (03) 9805 2529.
Here is this fortnight’s quote which my daughter found and suggested I include today:
‘She believed she could so she did’
Take care everyone, have a restful weekend and stay warm!
Giovanna
