Thanks for replying Maxine
I thought that might be the case, that the little bit we're doing in Australia is more than most countries are doing. That's incredibly sad and worrying.
We still do have a long way to go in Australia, though. BCNA included. You may not think of us as the ugly stepsisters, but that's exactly how we feel. I'm not just talking for myself here, either.
Recently I was invited to the upcoming Melbourne Forum, confusingly named Living Well Beyond Breast Cancer in some places, and Living Well WITH Breast Cancer in others. I called BCNA to clarify, and they advised me that it was really aimed at people who have had early BC, as with just about everything...
While it's important to support people who've had breast cancer and are now free of it, why is it so often that this aspect is focused on - across the board - and a huge community and "badge of honour" mentality built around it, while those of us really suffering, living and slowly dying from this disease are left feeling excluded?
I'm positive this is not intentional, but it's very real.
We have our own community, and try to support each other as best we can, but we keep losing people and it's not only distressing, but when we lose amazing campaigners like Amanda, we lose momentum, and we have a duty to keep the momentum going in her, and everyone else we've lost's honour. Some official support wouldn't go astray.
