The Beaconess

I attended my first ever BCNA Summit and it was a moving experience, from start to finish. The women we met, talked to, laughed with, cried beside, dined with and danced with are AMAZING. I can't begin to explain the experience to anyone not involved in our world of breast cancer because it is and was unique. I have tried, of course, but it's really hard to explain the sense of belonging and fitting in when you are with 300 women who have been through what you have been through, and want to do something like yourself, to help raise awareness, to fundraise, to help other women, to pay it forward, or for whatever it is each of us wants to do to contribute to our community and make our journey a worthwhile one.

And during the whole of the Summit there was an underlying sadness that we were losing the leader at the helm, the incredible woman who started BCNA from her home so many, many years ago. We were saying farewell to our fearless CEO and the accolades were genuine and loving, funny and sad, generous and magnificent. We will never be able to count the lives of women she has changed with her single-minded commitment to ensure that no woman would never have endure the experience of diagnosis the way she did. Her story is so like the many thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer around Australia , around the world, but the difference is what she did afterwards!

So, because of what she has done in the years following her diagnosis and treatment, is the reason 300 women gathered in Melbourne to meet for another Summit, to learn, discuss, support and encourage each other in each of our endeavours to continue to provide support to women and their families, through our roles as Community Group Leaders, Community Liaisons and Community Advocates.

This is what inspired my poem and whilst only being part of this amazing organisation for such a short period of time, I feel so welcomed and part of something truly remarkable.

Thank you Lyn for the gift you have given all women and their families. Whilst you leave BCNA as CEO there is no doubt we will hear of the many wonderful things you will continue to do in your next chapter of your journey.

You're a bloody beauty mate!