Friday update 19th November 2021
Hello members,
I Hope this update finds you well.
Summer season is apparently arriving in a few weeks, although
recent snow on the mountain tops in my local area tells a conflicting story.
The Christmas season is also coming upon us as decorations and merchandise
surround us; I will share with you more about some of BCNA’s gift ideas,
however I also think it is a timely reminder that for some people Christmas can be
difficult and you may like to checkout Cancer Council’s (Vic) Special Occasions and
Celebrations resource for practical support and
information.
Community highlights
New groups
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Breast Cancer- This is a private group which has been established to connect members who have
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and who are also impacted by breast cancer. We look forward
to watching the group grow and connections develop.
Head to https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/groups/
to look at all groups available.
Popular
forum discussions
Members new and old may have missed some of the forum discussions that
have received the most comments:
1. Letting go of being
superwoman!
2. Friday Funnies.
3. Tips for after surgery
care
4. COVID booster shots
(Honourable mention)
Have you
checked out Christmas Funnies ....... put them up here for a laugh! ? I noticed they have started rolling in for 2021 and
provide a bit of a giggle
credit @iserbrown
Community News
CARMAN’S FUN RUN 2022!
Melbourne’s
picturesque Elsternwick Park will turn pink Sunday 20 February 2022 when BCNA host
the Carman’s Fun Run and see thousands of participants walk, run and raise
funds to support Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA). If you can’t get to
Melbourne, there is a virtual event option, so you can participate from
anywhere. Join our inclusive and
supportive community who will help inspire you and your friends along your
journey to a half-marathon, 10K or 5K.
We can’t wait!
This Christmas you can gift your friends and family entry to the
Carman's Fun Run 2022. Read more and Register here during November to receive the early bird
rate! Give the gift of getting together this Christmas. And why not
register yourself while you're at it!
We
know that physical activity/exercise for those diagnosed with breast cancer is
important, as well as the benefits of mental and emotional wellbeing from the
chance to get together and get active with friends and family. Check out the My
Journey article which talks more to this subject https://myjourney.org.au/article/2350
Countdown to Christmas – BCNA
2021 Christmas Catalogue
You can shop the Breast
Cancer Network Australia Christmas catalogue this festive season and make your
gift give twice.
From beautifully handcrafted
Christmas baubles to decorate your tree, through to Christmas cards and a vast
array of affordable gifts and stocking stuffers.
All products are available to
order online from BCNA and our supporting partners. We recommend you
order by December 10, 2021 to ensure a pre-Xmas arrival.
*All orders via the BCNA
online store will receive a free gift tag and A3 sheet of Christmas wrap.
(while stocks last)
To view and shop the
catalogue visit : https://online.flippingbook.com/view/651868575/
BCNA NEWS 14 Nov 2021 - Third COVID Vaccination for people with breast
cancer
Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) and the
Federal Government are urging women and men with breast cancer to discuss the
third COVID vaccine dose with their GP or breast cancer specialist CLICK HERE to read full details (TV coverage on Seven News Instant-play on
Streem)
BCNA Policy
& Advocacy COVID-19 Survey
Report
BCNA has been continuously in touch with both federal and state/territory
governments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to understand the impact on our
health systems and to ensure people with breast cancer continue to receive
optimal care. Social media members were invited to share if they had
experienced impacts to their breast cancer diagnosis, surgery, or treatment via
a survey.
30 responses with 24 individual stories were shared. Thematic analysis
looked at the common themes and trends within the stories that were shared,
here are six of those themes:
- Lack of support / loneliness (eg. Unable to have a support person at appointments, causing feelings of vulnerability and fear)
- COVID-19 anxiety (eg. Delaying appointments with doctor due to fears of the added risk of contracting COVID-19)
- Delays (eg. Unable to have immediate breast reconstruction surgery and added to waitlist for elective surgery)
- Mental health (eg. Extreme stress due to travelling for treatment across borders and experiencing long delays due to restrictions)
- Tele-health (eg. Receiving news of test results from medical team via quick phone discussion, causing feelings of distress and depression)
- Positive stories (eg. Feeling very well informed, understood and supported by medical team from the date of diagnosis)
BCNA appreciates contributors to the survey, as these shared experiences
can be a powerful way to contributing to and helping inform decisions that will
lead to better outcomes.
BCNA Member Support Team & Online Network Moderators - Introductions
This week I am pleased to introduce you to Carissa from our Member Support Team:
I started with BCNA in 2016 as part of the
Member Support Team. This role sees me getting to speak to a variety of people
on our Helpline, responding to emails, moderating the Online Network and
overseeing the operations of our My Care Kit program.
My most memorable moment at BCNA would be
attending the 2018 Field of Women. I was lucky enough to stand on the ‘G’ with
both family and friends and thousands of others. I was also part of the team on
the day working outside the ground with an amazing team of volunteers.
In my spare time I enjoy listening to a podcast
while walking and during lockdown have got back into mindful colouring.
Books / Movies/ TV Series/ Documentaries
I finally
finished ‘Boy Swallows Universe’ by Trent Dalton. I say finally because
it took a while to grab my attention and that could be due to the hype
surrounding the book. It was a story you wanted to finish just to see what the
ending was. I would love to hear if any of you have read it?
Enjoy your
weekend and in the meantime, if you have any concerns while online, please
contact one of the moderators -
@Jenny_BCNA @Carissa_BCNA @Anna_BCNA @Pat_BCNA @MichelleP_BCNA @Mez_BCNA
If you need to speak with someone regarding your concern, please call 1800 500 258 alternatively, you can email contact@bcna.org.au
Take care,
The mod team – Mez, Carissa, Jenny, Anna, Pat & Michelle
“Every day of your life has been leading up to tomorrow. But of course every day of your life led up to today.” ― Trent Dalton, Boy Swallows Universe
