How did you find out about BCNA?

I was diagnosed at the Wesley Breast Clinic and whilst that time, almost 2 years ago, seems a blur, the breast care nurse made contact and put me straight onto BCNA. I went on the site and stumbled across the forum and found it to be a wealth of advice and support. Like a lot of us, I just read and read posts in the still of the night when I could not sleep and one day I finally posted. Whilst life has become busy again I really hope to keep checking in like so many who have gone before me as their knowledge and kind words were part of the reason I was able to put one foot in front of the other and get through it. I also know that when you are first diagnosed, you desperately want to hear from people who have been through it and are thriving to reassure you that you can do it.
I also read and listened to the resources offered on the whole site - factual and current. 🌸🌸

My surgeon recommended BCNA for information. He suggested getting online information from BCNA rather than google

My then BC nurse gave me a MY journey kit back in the days when they were in a box.... I got online in the middle of the night we all know the no sleeping as we are stressed out time... I became a member and found the forum slow back then end of 2012.... it has changed but I have met and made friends on here. 

On the Sunshine Coast QLD the breastscreen clinic made sure I left with BCNA information and resources .I’ve used BCNA since day 1 to educate myself and ask questions through forum . It’s been invaluable . 

I think FLClover’s first post above is about the BCNA site as a whole , not just the online forum.
The site itself has a wealth of information which even now 12 months on I am still dipping into.
The forum is just part of the site although in my view a very important part .
Issues about how to improve the usefulness and functionality of the forum for the members is a discussion worth having and you will never please everyone but I know that many women have gained great succour from the online  forum.

I was part of a now defunct BC support group, founded by some pretty heavy hitters in the medical and consumer spaces. When that group folded we asked BCNA to take on some of our records, which they did. From there I was asked to participate in early discussions about the online forum and material for newly diagnosed folk, which I did.

The forum was very different back in those days and, to be honest, I didn't think it would really take off as it was quite stilted and driven by the moderators. Proved wrong there, obviously.

I've seen a lot of changes since 2010, many of which would have not pleased me. It's probably not something I would engage with now if I was newly diagnosed--too many stale announcements, stuff that is not related to the disease and a focus on fund raising that irritate the shit out of me.

Native curiosity about what might happen from here and habit are the only things that keep me here now. Each to their own, I suppose.

I googled Breast cancer forums and this one and an american one came up. For some reason I couldn't get on to join so I just followed the threads without posting for months before trying again

Hi my ( fabulous female) GP suggested I look at the BCNA website when she gave me my diagnosis.
The other great piece of advice she gave me was to take someone who cared about me ( in my case it was hubby) to my meeting with the breast cancer surgeon as I would likely not take everything in.
This was on the Tuesday and she had me booked in to see the breast Cancer surgeon on the Thursday.
To be honest I was in so much shock I wasn’t taking a lot in but I did have a brief look at the BCNA website as well as printing out the breast cancer brochure on the Cancer Council website.
I didn’t really have a good look at the BCNA website again until after my mastectomy and my breast care nurse at the hospital ( who I only saw the once) suggested it to me.
I have raised this before ( as has FLClover) but believe it would be good if more women were made aware of BCNA when they first get their diagnosis , not sure how to achieve this but if identifying a problem is the first step to finding the solution, I have done that.

From what I can gather I am one of the lucky ones! 

I dutifully had a mammogram when the Breastscreen bus came to town.  The woman who did it was a little terse but anyhow we got over that but deep down I figured something wasn't right! 

A short time later a letter arrived inviting me to Breastscreen Parkville for a second look.  We (Hubby and I) arrived at the allotted time and immediately put with a Counsellor and given a run down of the day, what to expect, and that she would be at all my tests.  I joined the crowded room of women in gowns, turned out 5 other locals were there as well as and was soon called in for a Mammogram and then Ultrasound and then told you are going straight to the Surgeon. 

I wasn't prepared to go back into the room full of women in gowns, especially with locals there as I didn't want to be the source of gossip before I knew precisely what was the deal.   I insisted that hubby be with me for the Surgeon, and he was after they found him as he wasn't allowed to sit in the room full of women in gowns. It felt like a cast of thousands was with us at the introduction to the Surgeon, including the Counsellor.  No tears from me!  She then took us to one side and gave us some coping mechanisms and we waited our turn for the biopsy to confirm what the Surgeon said, 99% certain you have Breast Cancer, pathology will confirm and you will be having a mastectomy.

Once diagnosed the Counsellor gave me a box full of books from BCNA, My Journey kit including a diary.  Hubby read them all but I was selective and only read a couple prior to surgery.  Once in Hospital I was then given a Kit from Berlei, bra, book specific to my type of cancer, BCNA Strengthen Your Recovery Pilates DVD, a cushion, drain bag and another bag to carry my xrays...........very well looked after.  My Surgeon also had 2 Breast care nurses on staff who came to my room every day and rang each day for the first couple of weeks once I was at home.

It was a couple months before I joined the BCNA network and then I found the network was in turmoil, snitchy comments as the format was changing so I didn't bother again for a few weeks as I was put off by the snitchy comments but eventually I started to see others were in the early stages, in shock, totally confused and needed a friendly nudge from someone who had been through it and so started my association with BCNA forum.

This has turned into a missive, sorry, but as I said at the start, my path took me straight to BCNA and all that it offered and I only hope that in time that is more available to all across major clinics et cetera

Best wishes to all
Take care

awww, thank you for the kind words @Locksley .... what comes round, goes round .....  I wasn't sure whether to use the Hug emoji, the LOL or the Like!   LOL xx

@wendy55 - there are some mongrel surgeons/GPs who just have NO CLUE on how to be empathetic towards their patients.  :( I am so sorry that you were one of the unlucky ones, to get one xxx. Big hugs xx