* Ask the expert:
Genetics and the link to breast cancer
Expert: Associate Professor Yoland Antill, Medical Oncologist and Cancer Genetics
Specialist. This story covers
how your family members might know they are at risk, what genes are associated
with breast cancer, how to get a genetic test including the cost, what it
involves, and what a positive result means.
* Transitioning back into
work after breast cancer treatment
Expert: Jo Lewis, Occupational Therapist working as a
Clinical Program Consultant with CancerAid
and Associate Lecturer at the University of Sydney. This story explores the advice from
Jo about how you can take charge of returning to work, including talking about
your experience, planning your return, how your employer can help you and what
to do if you return to work and you don’t cope.
* Planning for the
future: Advance care planning
Expert: Sonia Fulton, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Sonia is a firm advocate for everyone preparing an advance care plan
so they maintain control over the medical treatment they receive if they lose
capacity. She says, ‘Having an advance care plan means that even if you’re very
unwell and can't verbalise your wishes, you will still be heard,’ Sonia says.
‘It's not like a will, which is a plan for what happens after you die. An
advanced care plan is about what happens to you while you are still alive. It
ensures doctors can make treatment decisions in line with your preferences.’
*Breast cancer inspired me
to make changes to my lifestyle
Member:
Kath was diagnosed with locally advanced
triple negative breast cancer in 2019 after feeling a lump in the shower. She
often used alcohol to cope with life’s challenges,
however realised that healing was more important after her diagnosis. She
remained alcohol free and made changes to other lifestyle choices she had
control over, including her exercise, diet and stress levels. She says that by
taking control, she’s living a life aligned with her purpose and values.
*Being a breast care nurse in a
regional Australia
Donna Wellington –
Breast Care Nurse. Based in Rockhampton Central
Queensland, Donna is the only full-time breast care nurse employed by Central
Queensland Hospital and Health Service, which covers an area of 114,000 square
kilometres, including Longreach, a 10-hour drive west.
The story explores some of the key roles of her job and
also
the key benefits of breast care nurses
Friday Update - 11th November 2022
Mez_BCNA
Administrator, Staff, Member, Moderator Posts: 1,144 ✭
Friday update 11th November 2022
Hello members,
October was full of activity and events for Breast Cancer
Awareness Month. Thankyou to everyone who hosted an event or got involved in
any way to raise awareness. I will do a bit of a re-cap on the theme ‘Understanding My Care’ that BCNA highlighted throughout the month.
Thunder and rain echoes through my home town today, so while it is
warming up it doesn’t quite feel like we are heading into summer soon!
Enjoy the update.
Community highlights
October Online Network activity
In
October the Online Network had 16,652 visits to the community; 116 new discussions and 597 new comments
Popular
forum discussions
Members new and old may have missed some of the forum discussions that
have been most active in September:
2. Lumpectomy done - margins question
4. Integrated
doctor/oncologist in Victoria
5. DCIS
Posts by ‘Category’ Name’- October 2022
Community News
Understanding my care
During October, Breast
Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) promoted awareness of optimal breast cancer
care through a campaign called Understanding My Care.
Please take a moment to
complete our survey about the campaign. It should only take about 5 minutes.
Your opinion is
important to us and helps us keep improving how we communicate important
messages about breast cancer. Survey
link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7C5K6CC
You can also check out
the posts that I shared on this topic during the month of October:
My Care - Understanding Best Timeframes for Treatment
My Care - Understanding Supportive Care
My Care - Understanding Multidisciplinary Care
My Care - Understanding Informed Financial Consent
My Care - Understanding Access to Clinical Trials
BCNA News 13 Oct 2022 – Making metastatic
breast cancer count
Breast
Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) announced that there are over 10,000 people
living with metastatic breast cancer in Australia.
This figure is only an estimate because Australia’s cancer
registries are currently only mandated to report the number of people diagnosed
with cancer (incidence) and how many people die from cancer (mortality). This
means we currently don’t count people who are living with metastatic breast
cancer. Read the full news item HERE
and Download issues paper: Making metastatic breast cancer count
BCNA News 1 Nov 2022 – Medicare rebate for
breast MRI
The
eligibility for a subsidised MRI for people who don’t have symptoms but have a
high risk of developing breast cancer has expanded. This eligibility has
changed from under 50 to under 60 years, meaning more people could now be
eligible.
Your
GP will determine if you are at high risk and meet the Medicare criteria for an
MRI.
We
are aware not everyone qualifies for this subsidy, and that’s why BCNA
continues to advocate for greater access to subsided treatment and care. If
breast cancer is found early, there are more treatment options and a better
chance for survival.
BCNA
encourages you to talk to your GP about your breast cancer risk. For
more information and to check your eligibility visit: https://bit.ly/MedicareMRI
BCNA visits Rockhampton!
BCNA hosted an Information Forum in Rockhampton for people
living with breast cancer and their supporters.
The
Information Forum covered 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. You can read more about the local Rockhampton
community groups and the speak biographies HERE
The Beacon
– December (Preview) 
The December
edition of The Beacon is currently in-progress; I have the inside word on several
topic/stories that will be included:
Webcasts/Podcasts
Food and Movement When Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer - Wednesday
23 November 7:00 – 8:30pm AEDT
In a recent Issues Paper, Making Metastatic Breast Cancer Count, BCNA
used modelling to estimate that there are currently over 10,000 Australians
living with metastatic breast cancer.
Although those who are diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer don’t require
a specific diet, a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet and regular exercise
can help maintain a sense of physical and mental wellbeing and can improve your
quality of life.
Register now via the following link: https://bcna.live/foodmovementwebcast
Did you miss ‘Men and Breast Cancer – Treatment, Managing Side Effects
and Finding Support’?
In 2022, it is predicted that 212 men will be diagnosed with
breast cancer. This diagnosis can be particularly confronting
for men and may bring many different challenges, including difficulty finding
tailored information, feelings of isolation and being unsure who you can speak
to. It is important for you to know there is a range of support available to
you. You can watch the recorded session via the YouTube LINK The session explored 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.
Survey
If
you have time, please visit the recent discussion
created by our Policy & Advocacy Project Manager (Siobhan) Participate
in a research survey to assess the quality of Online Network . BCNA is committed
to making improvements to the online network on a regular basis and values user
input.
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
“Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must
be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.” – William Faulkner
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