Together for breast cancer - BCNA

You’ve probably heard the term ‘treatment team’ but what does it actually mean?

A treatment team may include a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, specialist surgeon, oncology/chemotherapy nurse, breast care nurses and your general Practitioner (GP). The team meets regularly to manage your personalised treatment plan and ongoing care.

Your medical team is often comprised of a group of professionals who you don’t know and who come into your life at short notice, in a highly stressful and emotional time.

If you need help navigating relationships with your medical team, check out our podcast ‘Forged in fire: relationships with your medical team and self-advocacy' Forged in fire: you, your medical team and self-advocacy

When Brett from Queensland was diagnosed with breast cancer it came as a surprise.

“I felt fear initially, and to be honest confusion about how I – as a man – could get breast cancer,” he says.

Brett’s mother was diagnosed twice with breast cancer and Brett has since found out he carries the BRCA gene. He has undergone a single mastectomy.

“At the time, this was incredibly confronting for me and I didn’t know what to feel,” he says. “it’s an unbelievably tough journey, but once you embrace it you can either let it define you or you can define your own journey – which is what I am trying to do.”

Brett says support from BCNA improved his journey and he now wants to pay it forward by sharing his story and making others aware that breast cancer isn't just a women’s disease.

“Breast cancer does happen to men, so if you detect something don’t delay any testing or ultrasounds,” he says. “If you are diagnosed as a man, there is support and plenty of it – just reach out and ask.”

You can read Brett's story via the link Brett Wilson's Story

So useful to have the link, thanks @Mez_BCNA. There’s a lot to take in when we are diagnosed and I wasn’t aware how invasive lobular cancer could be difficult to see. I also learned that for ongoing monitoring it was important to know if our mammogram showed whether we had “dense” breasts (or not)!

‘Ask for and accept all the help you can get. Don’t be too proud to ask.’

Even if you don’t think of yourself as a carer, your role in helping someone with breast cancer is important.

Andrew is a partner of someone with breast cancer who is reminding us that taking time to care for your own health and well being is important.

If you aren’t sure how to support someone in your life with breast cancer or you need help navigating your role as a carer, you can call our free and confidential Helpline for information and support on 1800 500 258 between Monday- Friday 9am – 5pm.

Thank you to the carers of those with breast cancer 💖

October 13th 2024

“If we can’t be counted, how can we be looked after properly?”
Counting matters, as Lisa Tobin, BCNA Consumer Representative, reminds us.

It’s been two years since our Making Metastatic Breast Cancer Count campaign and a year since releasing our paper ‘Time to Count People with Metastatic Breast Cancer - A Way Forward’.

BCNA advocates every day for those living with metastatic breast cancer to be consistently counted in cancer registries.

“Despite being raised as an issue throughout BCNA’s 25-year history, we remain in 2024 with no picture of metastatic breast cancer – not just in Australia, but around the world” said Vicki Durston, BCNA’s Director of Policy, Advocacy & Support Services.

Vicki, speaking in Portugal as President of the General Assembly for the Advanced Breast Cancer Global Alliance, emphasised the urgent need for accurate data to drive the changes that will improve outcomes for people with metastatic breast cancer worldwide

🔗Read our paper Time to Count People with Metastatic Breast Cancer - A Way Forward via the link https://www.bcna.org.au/resource-hub/research-reports/time-to-count-people-with-metastatic-breast-cancer-a-way-forward/

What’s something you want people to know about metastatic breast cancer?

"MBC doesn't mean you look sick but there are many side effects to cope with and they vary all the time." - Cathie

Cathie is part of BCNA’s metastatic breast cancer Lived Experience Reference Group using her lived experience to help inform BCNA’s policy, advocacy, and service development priorities.

She says "sometimes, people say I look great, but that day I may have nausea, aches, pain, brain fog, extreme fatigue or waiting for scan results to find out whether the cancer inside is stable. Saying I look good is nice but it can sometimes feel dismissive."

BCNA’s Online Network has a discussion forum for people with metastatic breast cancer to connect and share their experience with others going through the same thing. You can join via the link https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/group/2-living-with-metastatic-breast-cancer

Community means something different to everyone. But what’s universal is that community can have a positive impact on people affected by breast cancer.  

This might look like dropping off meals, helping with the kids, accompanying to an appointment, hosting a fundraising event, connecting with others in the same boat, or simply having a chat over a cuppa. 

What do you love most about your community and why? 

Meet the Hardmans. 

After facing an initial early breast cancer diagnosis in 2017, Kate was told that her cancer had metastasised to her spine last year. Her cancer spread while pregnant with their third child. 

Kate and her husband Kriss (who faced a testicular cancer diagnosis in 2020) are devoted to sharing their journey on their Instagram page @_thehardmans  

Kate and Kriss are transparent about their experiences, answering questions openly and de-stigmatising what it’s like to live with metastatic breast cancer.  

In this video Kate shares three things she wishes people knew about metastatic breast cancer. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAku5nAvQku/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==