Friday Update - 7th October 2022
Friday update 7th October 2022
Warm greetings to members old and new. Sorry for the belated Friday
update (public holidays and leave caught up with me!).
Despite the continued rain drops left-over from winter days, you can certainly
feel the touch of spring in the air as we make our way into October.
BCNA has a lot of activity happening in October as it is Breast
Cancer Awareness Month. I will share with you some of the activities ahead and
a little more about BCNA’s theme ‘My Care’.
My local hills look beautiful with the mist
Community highlights
Have you checked out the online
network private groups?
It is
always great to revisit the various groups that you can join here through the
online network, as we do add new ones on occasion. Here are links to all the current
groups:
· Choosing breast reconstruction
·
Living with metastatic breast cancer
· Invasive Lobular Cancer (ILC)
· Christians diagnosed with breast
cancer
· Breast Cancer, Childlessness and
Us....
· LGBTIQ+ Breast Cancer Network
· Living in Regional, Rural and Remote
areas
· Men living with breast cancer
· Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and
Breast Cancer
(Note: There are no notifications to tell members of a group when someone
has posted a new ‘discussion’ or ‘comment’. Therefore it is useful to check-in
occasionally on the groups you are part of to see if others are reaching out
for support)
Popular forum discussions
Members new and old may have missed some of the forum discussions that have been most active in September:
1. Letrozole for the next 10years..
4. Lumpectomy tomorrow - lobular cancer and so scared
Posts by ‘Category’ Name’- September 2022
Community News
Understanding my care
It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Breast
Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) wants to take the opportunity to shine a light
on what best breast cancer care looks like and empower those diagnosed to make
informed decisions about their care. Throughout October BCNA will be
promoting what optimal breast cancer care looks like by highlighting five key
elements of the Optimal Care Pathway (OCP) for people with breast cancer.
We understand that everyone has different needs and personal
circumstances, so what is determined to be the best care for you, might be
completely different for someone else.
If you would like more information about optimal care, or you
have any questions about your care, you can call BCNA’s Helpline on 1800 500
258 or visit Helping Australians access the
best breast cancer care
Join us in Rockhampton
BCNA will be hosting an Information Forum
in Rockhampton for people living with breast cancer and their supporters on the
26th of October – 9:00am for 9:30am start – 3:00pm.
The Information Forum will cover a
range of topics including the latest in breast cancer treatment, managing your
emotional wellbeing after a breast cancer diagnosis, and how you can live well
during treatment and beyond.
It will also be an opportunity to
hear about what BCNA does and the services and resources we have available to
support you, alongside discussing the unique rural challenges you may
experience and the local services available in your community.
Guest speakers will include Medical
Oncologist Dr Rebecca Moor, Oncology Social Worker Dr Carrie Lethborg, Breast
Care Nurses Donna Wellington, Sally Haley (McGrath) and Carolanne Boland,
Exercise Physiologist and BCNA member Karen Seymour and BCNA member Michelle
Peters.
There will be two concurrent information
sessions throughout the day – one for people with early breast cancer and one
for people with metastatic breast cancer. To
register or for more information about the event, click on the following link: https://bit.ly/BCNA_Rockhampton_Forum
Making Metastatic Breast Cancer Count
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Breast
Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) is taking this opportunity to tell you what
we’re doing to shine a light on those living with metastatic breast
cancer. As part of our commitment to be the voice of all with
metastatic breast cancer, next week on 13 October – Metastatic Breast Cancer
Awareness Day – we will be launching a paper on this very issue. The intent of the paper is to:
·
Draw attention to
the fact that we do not have consistent cancer reporting across Australia that
would allow us to determine how many people are currently living with
metastatic breast cancer
·
Put our own
estimated figure to the size of this group using available modelling
·
Highlight the unmet
supportive care needs of this group
· Call for policy change and accountability to ensure this group is counted
and made visible so that we can plan and deliver the care and support they
need
On the 13th, we invite you
to connect with BCNA on social media, share our post and Issues Paper, and tell
us what this announcement means to you via our posts and social stories on Facebook,
Instagram
and LinkedIn.
Community Fundraising Events in October
October is the
perfect time to host an event because it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
Whether it’s a Pink
Sports Day and sausage sizzle at your sporting club, an Actively Pink fitness
challenge or fundraising walk with friends, or a Pink Lady Event morning tea –
registration as a ‘host fundraiser’ is free, simple and fully supported to help
you make it a fun and perfectly pink event For ideas and
inspo, or to register your event, visit https://bit.ly/BCNA_Community_Fundraising
Regional, Rural and
Remote
As
mentioned in the last update, there is a new private group Living in Regional, Rural and Remote areas.
I thought it would be a good time to remind online members of the BCNA
information available for those who live in these areas and are going through a
breast cancer diagnosis:
· Launceston Information Forum: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpvVCfUeAqMB_rEU4xOFhqJHau0AJG7sj
· Ballarat Information Forum: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpvVCfUeAqMBmHGiqN4Puaae3szIqRi3d
· Podcast episode: In conversation with Tania
and Fiona: The challenges of living in a rural area following a breast cancer
diagnosis
· My journey articles Questions to ask if you live in a remote or rural area; Breast cancer information for people in rural areas; Financial supports for people with breast cancer in rural
and remote areas
Webcasts
Men and Breast Cancer – Treatment, Managing
Side Effects and Finding Support
In recognition of Male Breast Cancer Awareness Day on
Thursday 20 October, we will be hosting an interactive webcast for men
diagnosed with breast cancer. The session will
explore hormone-blocking treatments for breast cancer and how to manage side
effects, provide information about lymphoedema and the treatment and care
available and learn about what resources and support are available to you. To register or
for more information about the event CLICK HERE
Did you miss the ‘Living well with breast
cancer’ online information forum?
Thank you to
everyone who joined one or more of the sessions during our recent online
Information Forum. We hope you took away some helpful information and enjoyed connecting
with others.
If you missed a
session that interested you, the videos are now available to be viewed on
demand CLICK HERE
For more
information about our upcoming Information Forums please visit the BCNA
website
Books/Movies/TV Series/ Documentaries
A Darker Shade of Pink - Mary O'Brien
& Pia Hirsch
The
book describes the story of 21 years of supporting women living with metastatic
breast cancer. It is a pragmatic guide about establishing and running this kind
of group as well as a collection of funny, sad, and creative stories and
experiences told by Mary, Pia and the women who have been a part of the Advanced
Breast Cancer Group throughout the last 21 years.
The above book is another beauty out of the My Journey
library (If you have any breast cancer related books that you have found
insightful, please email through contact@bcna.org.au).
Take care and if you have feedback or any
concerns while online, please contact one of the moderators -
@Jenny_BCNA @Carissa_BCNA @Pat_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, & Pat
“Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind.” – Dodinsky