Welcome to New Members
A very warm welcome to our
newest members who joined the past week:
@MegD @RosslynP @gobilly @miaciano @LiisaL @Igniteyourforce @Wednesday
@What @DeniD @mickyf @Amf @emmsicles @Maudie @lornac @Jwss33 @Outbackdeb @Leonbaker
@sumair
You
have found your way to Breast Cancer Network Australia’s (BCNA’s) Online
Network. This is a forum where you are not alone and can engage with generous
members who provide meaningful support to each other. You can share as much or
as little as you feel comfortable with to other members. Please explore our
various private and public Groups for
members who are looking for greater peer-to-peer support.
The
following links may also be helpful in getting you started:
Navigating the online
community
Community Guidelines
My Journey Online Tool
Our
long-time members (newbies too!) are a wealth of information regarding the
useful discussion topics and information available through BCNA’s Online
Network, therefore please do not hesitate to post your questions.
If
you need help navigating the Online Network please message myself @Mez_BCNA or
one of our other moderators. Alternatively, phone BCNA's Helpline 1800
500 258 Monday to Friday 9 am - 5 pm AEST.
Comments
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Hi Mez
one thing I might suggest is that if new members registering to use the forum can add where they live ( eg: Sydney, Melbourne, regional Victoria etc) as that allows others responding to their queries to ge more targeted responses, for those who might not be that tech savvy, maybe that’s something that could be in their welcome pack?
Of course not everyone may wish to add this detail , it’s just useful.
2 -
Welcome to the club no-one really wants to join .... We are happy that you found us - as we were in the same boat not that long ago. The members here are just wonderful and will provide you with as much support as you need. Just ask away!
If you add your town/city/region in your Profile - members will be able to help you with specific services and support groups in your area. Once Covid rules are relaxed, you may even be able to meet up in person for a chat & a coffee. I've made some wonderful friends on the forum and when things are 'back to normal' we plan on getting together in Darwin for a Fantastic Fun Festivity for a week!
I can't wait.If you live in Regional/Rural areas - you should be eligible for IPTAAS assistance with travel & accomodation costs (the name may vary from state to state.) Ask your GP or Specialist about it, as they will have to sign off on your first appointments - and each specialist, too. After that, it should be smooth going. The NSW one is here:
https://iptaas.enable.health.nsw.gov.au/
There is a webcast on BCNA in Mid Sept on the cost of surgery/ongoing treatment - you may like to attend!
If there is anything you want to discuss in a more private manner, you can message a member (or a group of members) and chat in total privacy.
Personally I found that it mucked with my BRAIN more than anything else! And that is very hard to control, as it has a mind of its own! I found that keeping BUSY, doing things is the secret (specially in the 'wait times' between discovery & diagnosis, diagnosis & surgery, surgery & pathology results . .... Try & get back into your hobbies (as you are able to) or take up a new one - even more so now with Covid as we can’t get together with buddies as readily as before.When you have some time ... check out the blog by a female British Breast Cancer Surgeon who went on to develop Breast Cancer herself, with recurrence. She was amazed at just how much it changed her life, both mentally and physically ... and validates all our own ‘concerns, aches and pains’ ... if your Onc doesn’t believe you when you discuss side effects - get THEM to read this too!
Some more info on some of the threads on the forum - we even manage to have a couple of laughs now & then!
Try & keep your sense of humour 'up there' - we have a really good 'funnies page' (called Friday Funnies, but we add them every day!!) Just click on the link to add pics and posts ... I have a rather 'dark' sense of humour, so we have a more risque thread for those ones!
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/19116/friday-funnies#latest
If you are into arts & crafts, we have a 'Creative Corner'
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/14979/creative-corner#latest
and if into your garden, a Gardening post as well!!
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/comment/186078#Comment_186078
And we now have a Fishing post, as that is one of my passions!
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/19494/fishing-brag-picsIf you have 'fur kids' - put their pic here & describe their funny antics ... https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/comment/92526#Comment_92526
We even have a funny Xmas page .... feel free to add any that you’ve seen!
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/20086/christmas-funnies-put-them-up-here-for-a-laugh#latestTry not to use Dr Google too much (difficult tho it is) as there is just so much conflicting information out there (and much of it is REALLY OLD & OUT OF DATE), and every BC case is totally 'unique' and it will only scare the pants off you!
If you haven't had your surgery yet, we have some posts here on what to take with you to hospital, to make it 'easier' on you.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/16442/prep-for-surgery/p1
And for your annual checkups, here are some ‘tick sheets’ to help you put your questions together for your medical team. (Make sure you click on the documents at the BOTTOM of the post, as the others are only sample pages.)
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/21973/questions-to-ask-post-surgery-of-yourself-to-your-specialists-tick-sheets-self-assessment/p1Take care and all the best with your ongoing surgery & treatment xx
1 -
@Julez1958 Thankyou for the great feedback. While I explore the member 'signup' fields, in the interim I can add it to my Welcome post each week to encourage new members to update their profile details and location for more 'targeted responses' (If they so choose). Thanks again2
