Kerri-Anne Kennerley's diagnosis
Every year 14,000 Australian women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Yesterday we learned that much loved television personality Kerri-Anne Kennerley was one of them.
Our thoughts are with Kerri-Anne and all other newly diagnosed women as they start this difficult journey.
Unsurprisingly, news of Kerri-Anne's diagnosis has sparked a flurry of media attention on breast cancer. Following Kerri-Anne's announcement, BCNA CEO Maxine Morand was approached by a number of national media outlets and provided comment on the news.
You can watch Maxine on Channel 10 News, Channel 9 News and Channel 10's The Project online.
Maxine discussed that while Kerri-Anne's diagnosis is undoubtedly sad news, it is important to remember that 38 Australian women are diagnosed each day.
Kerri-Anne's diagnosis reminds us of why BCNA resources such as the My Journey Kit are so important for newly diagnosed women as they start a new and difficult chapter.
A few days earlier, BCNA also featured on Channel 7 News Melbourne, as fabulous BCNA member Merylee Punchard shared her own experiences. Merylee highlighted the support she got from the Online Network.
You can watch Merylee's clip via YouTube (although the quality isn't fantastic).
Congratulations to Kerri-Anne and Merylee for sharing their story and reminding other women they are not alone.
Laura
Comments
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Well written Laura. Yes I reminded everyone that Kerri-Anne is one of many to join this BC journey. The media always goes overboard with celebs but on the positive side it is putting awareness out there. I love Kerri-Anne and selfishly thought that I now might get to meet her at one of the Summits!!!! XLeonie
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Watching KAK brings home all those memories of when i first was diagnosed. I really feel for her (and anyone else recently diagnosed) having to start this dreaded journey. She is being so strong and dignified at the moment but we all know of the fear she would be feeling inside. Over the next 6 months she will be smothered in BC information and knowledge. This will be a blessing as Kerri-anne will then bring this to a world of listeners.
I wish her and everyone else travelling this journey heaps of strength and courage. All the best
Cheers Jo xx
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Having heard that KAK diagnosed with BC, made me shudder and feel very sad.
I hope that she and everyone else recently diagnosed with BC knows that they are not alone. We here, are all fighters and won't let this get us down.
I hope that now there will be more media out there taking note of how many of us are diagnosed each day and year. And that awareness is going to be more out there. I also hope this brings more research not just to BC but all cancers out there.
To KAK, sending you lots of love, strength and courage. Hoping all goes well and hope she posts here as well....
And to the others out there, ditto. Love, strength and courage. We all have it, but we just need to use it now....
Julie XX
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Having heard that KAK diagnosed with BC, made me shudder and feel very sad.
I hope that she and everyone else recently diagnosed with BC knows that they are not alone. We here, are all fighters and won't let this get us down.
I hope that now there will be more media out there taking note of how many of us are diagnosed each day and year. And that awareness is going to be more out there. I also hope this brings more research not just to BC but all cancers out there.
To KAK, sending you lots of love, strength and courage. Hoping all goes well and hope she posts here as well....
And to the others out there, ditto. Love, strength and courage. We all have it, but we just need to use it now....
Julie XX
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I too wish to send all the postive thoughts to KAK (and EVERYONE diagnosed with Breast Cancer) as she begins her journey and am VERY glad of the media exposure that this brings, BUT....
Being a celebrity, she will get top treatment, fast, witht he top doctors, in the top hospitals etcand will not have to worry about being able to afford it, where many others have their funds sapped, as they cannot work, bills pile up, meidcal bills mount (and if they are talked into using their private insurance, they can be put into bankrupcy by the out of pocket), many have to rely on welfare payments like sickness allowance, to live).
Many women are diagnosed in there 20's, 30's, 40's, and have further issues on their plates like fertility, young children, late diagnosis becasue doctors didn't believe it could be breast cancer (often leading to metastatic disease), more aggressive cancers due to higher levels of hormones (oestrogen and progesterone), going through menopause (temporary or permanent) due to chemo and hormone therapies etc etc. I wish the media would spend some time on this (they did spend a little time on this when they interviewed our lovely Merylee.
Many women have to do this alone or with very little support, where celebrities get support from everyone (look at all of the well wishes that she has received already), some poor women have no other support that this site and other sites like this (if they are lucky enough to have internet access or access to telephone or physical support groups), especially rural and remote women, who have to travel and often live away from home during treatment, leaving young families at home, and paartners who cannot work as they stay home wth yourn children, thuse reducing incomes often to zero), and maybe their treatment team and breast care nurse. again I hope the media take time out to show this side of the disease.
Not that ANY of this is KAK's fault or takes away from her journey, I just wish that the media spent some of its time on this side of the journey, on the less famous side if getting breast cancer and the other things it can cause.
Again this is NOTHING against KAK, and I wish her all the best in her BC journey and hope that she gets good news all the way through her journey.
I jsut wanted to say this becasue when I hear and read all about KAK at present but I know of a women who is contimplating filling for bankrupcy becasue she can't afford to pay her rent and buy food this month (or likely for the next few months), sue to using her private insurance to get treatment and the exorbitant out of pocket expenses she has been left with - I list to both and think, I know of other women who have no support, or who have to wait weeks for treatmnt (I myself had to wait 43 days - 25 days to just see a surgeron after diganosis (I got diagnosed 22/12/11 and the doctors were all on their Christmas/ New Years Holidays) and then another 18 days for surgery. I could have used my private insuracne but I would NEVER have been ablet o pay the $2,000 - $20,000 - we were told would be our out of pocket expenses) - How is this fair...
I hoe this doesn't offend anyone (especially any celebrities if they ever read this) as that is not my purpose, truly it isn't I just wish that the media would also spend time showing the other side of breast cancer, that of breast cancer in the normal women (or man) and the troubles it can bring, such as financial hardship). ?
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I too wish to send all the postive thoughts to KAK (and EVERYONE diagnosed with Breast Cancer) as she begins her journey and am VERY glad of the media exposure that this brings, BUT....
Being a celebrity, she will get top treatment, fast, witht he top doctors, in the top hospitals etcand will not have to worry about being able to afford it, where many others have their funds sapped, as they cannot work, bills pile up, meidcal bills mount (and if they are talked into using their private insurance, they can be put into bankrupcy by the out of pocket), many have to rely on welfare payments like sickness allowance, to live).
Many women are diagnosed in there 20's, 30's, 40's, and have further issues on their plates like fertility, young children, late diagnosis becasue doctors didn't believe it could be breast cancer (often leading to metastatic disease), more aggressive cancers due to higher levels of hormones (oestrogen and progesterone), going through menopause (temporary or permanent) due to chemo and hormone therapies etc etc. I wish the media would spend some time on this (they did spend a little time on this when they interviewed our lovely Merylee.
Many women have to do this alone or with very little support, where celebrities get support from everyone (look at all of the well wishes that she has received already), some poor women have no other support that this site and other sites like this (if they are lucky enough to have internet access or access to telephone or physical support groups), especially rural and remote women, who have to travel and often live away from home during treatment, leaving young families at home, and paartners who cannot work as they stay home wth yourn children, thuse reducing incomes often to zero), and maybe their treatment team and breast care nurse. again I hope the media take time out to show this side of the disease.
Not that ANY of this is KAK's fault or takes away from her journey, I just wish that the media spent some of its time on this side of the journey, on the less famous side if getting breast cancer and the other things it can cause.
Again this is NOTHING against KAK, and I wish her all the best in her BC journey and hope that she gets good news all the way through her journey.
I jsut wanted to say this becasue when I hear and read all about KAK at present but I know of a women who is contimplating filling for bankrupcy becasue she can't afford to pay her rent and buy food this month (or likely for the next few months), sue to using her private insurance to get treatment and the exorbitant out of pocket expenses she has been left with - I list to both and think, I know of other women who have no support, or who have to wait weeks for treatmnt (I myself had to wait 43 days - 25 days to just see a surgeron after diganosis (I got diagnosed 22/12/11 and the doctors were all on their Christmas/ New Years Holidays) and then another 18 days for surgery. I could have used my private insuracne but I would NEVER have been ablet o pay the $2,000 - $20,000 - we were told would be our out of pocket expenses) - How is this fair...
I hoe this doesn't offend anyone (especially any celebrities if they ever read this) as that is not my purpose, truly it isn't I just wish that the media would also spend time showing the other side of breast cancer, that of breast cancer in the normal women (or man) and the troubles it can bring, such as financial hardship). ?
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I understand exactly where you are coming from. I just posted on my blog about my sadness at all the young lovelies with this terrible disease and wouldn't it be great if all the millions spent in the world on sports prizes and movie stars and millionaires gold plated bathrooms could instead be put into research (and free treatment for that matter to save lives) to find a cure - wouldn't that be something ?
I have no idea where we are going to be in a year's time financially. We'll just have to see. We'll do what we have to do to get me well again. We are luckier than some.
I will continue to contribute in whatever way I can to help with research and support for others struggling with this monster.
love and good wishes
Keitha
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Hi Shaz, i also hear what you are saying but i can also hear a lot of bitterness and frustration in what you are feeling and i'm sorry you are letting this affect you like it is. I too struggled on my own being unemployed due to 2 x total knee replacements surgery and then getting my breast cancer while still recovering in my40's.
I know first hand what it is like to be waiting for cancer treatment but i begrudge letting it destroy my mind or sole, instead i took action and wrote to the health minister requesting some answers. Maybe you could try writting to him too or the news papers. There is also the local council that offer help. I know it's really hard and as scary as hell, not to forget that it is not fair for any cancer patient weather it be a celeb or not to have to wait for treatment. Unfortunately the media only write about what will sell and make them money. Maybe one day things will change.
Good luck with your journey cheers Jo xx
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HI just had to send a quick note and say firstly how well written your comments are, and that I totally agree with you, I had to wait 2 months to get any sort of treatment and it makes you feel like a second class citizen, I have worked hard all my life and paid my taxes, but would never of been able to pay the out of pocket expenses, all power to you, and to KAK I wish her the best, no one young old famous or not deserves this horrible disease
Cheers Narelle
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Jo,
I am not in any way bitter or frustrated, just sayingmy opinion (while iand others on another site have been trying to help a fellow BC sufferer stay out of bankrupcy).
I have written to my minister, did that over the Christmas/new Year break while waiting to see a breast surgeon).
Breast Cancer is not my first illness or injury by far (I have been unable to work for 16 years after a workplace accident, was born with a rare gentic disorder that causes my joints to dislocate and my ligaments to tear, and causes chronic pain, have suffered from juvinille rheumatoid arthritis since I was 12 and have another form of arthritis and other related conditons and have a rare nerve condition that causes severe chronic pain, and have been on a Disability pension for nearly 10 years), have had MANY surgeries, including knee and shoulder reconstructions. So being ill is nothing new to me, neither is waiting for treatment or the cost of treatments etc, I was just stating that in MY opinion, and in a PERFECT world, I WISH that everyone got the same treatment and assistance, be the 5 or 50 yrs old, unemployed or the queen, Average person or celebrity, and that in this day and agein Australia that NO ONE would have to be looking at being homeless and/or not being able to pay bills, rent or uy food, becasue of a medical condtion (it is 2012, for goodness sake) - but I also know the other side I have been to the USA and have friends there and over their if youdon't have medical insurance you are SCREWED big time, and if you do you may still need to sell your home or put yourself into life long debt to pay for treatment) - That is all, I was just stating that in an perfect world there would also be no cancer, there would be a cure for not just breast cancer but all BLOODY cancers.
I am dealing fine with my journey and have no issues with my treatment,or anything, I have in fact been VERY VERY VERY lucky and have made wonderful friend through out my journey.
I guess my post came off stronger than I thought (probably becaseu of listening to what others have or are going through on another support site I am a member of). (in part probably also becasue due to chemo brain (which i am suffering from terribly) I can't think of the correct words, so use one that I think is right, and may infact sound ahrsher than meant)
Sorry if this came across as bitter etc, I was just saying that it shows how the media especially deem illness etc...
I am sorry if this offended or saddened you, it was in no means my plan, like I said above I was just expressing MY opinion about what my wishes were inaprefect world, I KNOW it will take years, if ever for this to happen, but I was just expressing it out loud. And like i said I am neither bitter or frustrated or upset or anything about it, just stating an opinion.
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You are so right, It definately did not make a lick of difference to those beautiful celebs. At the end of the day we are all the same and open for what comes our way. Take care, Cheers Jo xx
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Has anyone heard how she is going?
What grade/ stage it is/was and if she has begun treatment/ surgery etc???
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She gave an interview to New Idea - I think we have to buy the magazine to find out.
Far as I can tell she had a lumpectomy for 2 small lumps, (second one was found on the MRI scan she had) and 2 lymph nodes removed. No mention of grade or Stage. No mention of Her2 status but it says 6 weeks radiation and no chemo so I'm guessing negative Her2. Good for her.
She wants to push for subsidised MRI for everyone "using my celebrity". Yeah well if that helps good on her.
Keitha0 -
Sounds as though her lymph nodes are negative too or they more than likely would have offered chemo. My SN was negative but I told my onc I wanted chemo! I've seen too many come back to not be blasted by everything they've got!0
