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Re: Help us promote Australia’s first Male Breast Cancer Awareness Day
@traveltext thank you for sharing this wonderful story. We got word this morning from Rob that it made the front page of the newspaper and it is going to be syndicated more broadly by media outlets today. Our friend Ron Gordon has also been on ABC Radio in WA this morning; there are interviews with ABC also happening with our head of policy, and there should be a story in tomorrow's Herald Sun newspaper focusing on two friends who were both diagnosed with breast cancer within years of each other. I'll be sure to share these when they're up.0Views1like0CommentsRe: Help us promote Australia’s first Male Breast Cancer Awareness Day
Hi @onemargie That's really great to hear you are doing a bc fundraiser for us and looking to help raise more awareness of male breast cancer. We're really grateful for your support. Let us know if you need any helpful tips on fundraising! I work on the policy team and I've been involved in bringing together men in our membership around this issue. It's really heartening and fantastic to see this day come to fruition. We have resources you might find helpful to display on the day, in particular our downloadable booklet Men Get Breast Cancer Too. You can find out more about male breast cancer and our resources and project here: https://www.bcna.org.au/understanding-breast-cancer/breast-cancer-in-men/ Best wishes Pauline McLoughlin Senior Policy Officer BCNA0Views1like0CommentsRe: Mens Breast Cancer
Hi @MKitty68, thanks for letting us know about your friend. For the awareness day we'll be posting on our social media and website on the 20th October and it'd be wonderful for your friend to share our posts. If he's interested in getting in touch, I'd be happy for you to pass on my email to him: pmcloughlin@bcna.org.au and we can have a chat.1View1like0CommentsRe: Mens Breast Cancer
Hi @PeterB I'm on the policy team here at BCNA. We have a number of men diagnosed with breast cancer who are active in our membership and I have reached out to see if they are interested in making contact. Two of our men are active on the online network from time to time - @"Chester80$$" and @traveltext In 2016, we carried out a consultation with a group of men diagnosed with breast cancer. The aim was to better understand what BCNA and other can do to better meet the needs of men facing a breast cancer diagnosis. A copy of the full report and executive summary of this project can be found here. This year, on October 20th, we are launching Australia's first male breast cancer awareness day, with stories from men on our social media and local news. If you are interested in sharing your story with local media, we are looking for men currently in QLD, WA and Tasmania. Opportunities for a media spot will depend on the level of interest and availability of local media (radio, television). Be sure to visit our website, Facebook page and Twitter feed on October 20th for the awareness day! If you have any questions or queries please also feel free to private message me here. I am providing ongoing outreach and support for male breast cancer projects and member enquiries. Warm regards Pauline McLoughlin Senior Policy Officer BCNA1View0likes0CommentsRe: Let's have another conversation about vaginas
@DaisyMarigold @Mum2jj and @Suziq. Hi, it’s Pauline from the policy team. Re: Mona Lisa Touch, the evidence is still limited on effectiveness but you might be interested to hear that there is a clinical trial happening in Sydney and I’ve recently contacted the lead investigator to get further information on the study. You can read about the study design here. Regarding Medicare funding for Mona Lisa Touch and DHEA pessaries, the manufacturers of these products would need to make an application to the Medicare Services Advisory Committee (MSAC). I wrote to @Suziq earlier this year about the YES product. The UK manufacturers have no plans to apply to MSAC for Medicare subsidy. I spoke with the Australian distributor of the product, the Director of Organic Trader. She was keen for the YES range of vaginal lubricants and moisturisers to be accessible for women in Australia, if enough women showed interest. I suggested I could connect @Suziq directly with Natasha, as she would like to get a deeper understanding of what you would need in terms of affordability and accessibility, especially in terms of the applicators - which I believe are quite expensive. Natasha suggested that as an interim arrangement while she explores options with the manufacturer, Organic Trader might be able to offer a number of special discount vouchers to wo men affected by breast cancer who are interested in this product. I am not sure what happened with follow up from @Suziq and the other women participating in that post thread on Lost Libido ladies. If you would like to get in touch with Natasha directly, you can email her: natasha@organictrader.com.au Or call her on (02) 8399 01223Views0likes0CommentsRe: other treatment options?
Hi @bevvzy We recommend that you to talk to your oncologist about any complementary medicine or supplement you might be thinking of taking. The USA Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre has a great website and smart phone app called ‘About Herbs, Botanicals and other Products’. The website provides a lot of information about herbs, botanicals, vitamins and supplements and possible adverse effects on breast cancer treatments. Please note that 'black salve' preparations, which contain an alkaloid derived from bloodroot and zinc chloride, can have serious adverse effects. There are documented cases of black salve eroding away at tissue and making lesions worse, leading to significant damage and scarring to the skin. Inappropriate use of bloodroot for cancer treatment can have severe adverse effects.You can learn more about bloodroot, a component of black salve, here If you have any questions or queries, please feel free to get in touch with me via email: pmcloughlin@bcna.org.au Best, Pauline McLoughlin, Senior Policy Officer6Views0likes0CommentsRe: Soy products and aramatose inhibitors
Hi there, I'm on the policy team here at BCNA. Thanks for raising this question about dietary soy and aromatase inhibitors. At present it is still not clear if eating a diet high in phyto-oestrogens (soy products) is safe for women who have, or have had, breast cancer. For women with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer who are taking an aromatase inhibitor such as anastrozole, it is still unclear whether eating soy foods or taking soy supplements will block or enhance the actions of the aromatase inhibitors. Results of scientific studies are contradictory, with some studies showing that dietary soy can interfere with the actions of aromatase inhibitors and other studies showing that soy can possibly enhance aromatase inhibitors, such as anastrozole. As Cancer Council NSW advises, moderate consumption of soy foods, as part of an overall healthy eating plan, is unlikely to have any harmful effects. In the US, the positions of the American Cancer Society and the American Institute for Cancer Research are similar: that soyfoods can be safely consumed in moderation by women with breast cancer. It is best however to avoid high doses of soy products, such as soy supplement tablets or powders. You can also read more about Cancer Council Australia's response to soy and breast cancer on their iheard site, here. Note they do not mention aromatase inhibitors, only tamoxifen. I am currently following up with them on any evidence surrounding aromatase inhibitors and soy. I will keep you all posted. If you have any questions or concerns about soy food consumption and your breast cancer treatments, it is always best to speak with your oncologist. I hope this is helpful! Best wishes Pauline McLoughlin2Views0likes0Comments
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