🌏💗 Support Services for People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds
A breast cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, and it can be even more challenging when information and support aren't available in your preferred language or don't reflect your cultural experiences. For many people, connecting with someone who understands their language, culture, family dynamics and community can make a real difference during treatment and recovery. 💕 Across Australia, there are organisations working to support people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities who have been affected by cancer. These services offer information, peer support, education, and practical assistance in ways that are culturally responsive and inclusive. Whether you're looking for information in your own language, support from people with shared experiences, or resources for a loved one, culturally appropriate support services are available. 🌸 Every person deserves access to breast cancer information and support that feels relevant, respectful and accessible. This webpage from Cancer Institute NSW features organisations that provide services to multicultural communities, including the provision of information and education on cancer screening and prevention. 💬💗 Have you found a culturally specific service, resource or community group helpful during your breast cancer experience? Sharing your recommendations may help other members discover support that's right for them.🌏Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National)
Navigating a breast cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, especially when English isn't your first language. TIS National is a government-funded interpreting service that helps people who are not confident speaking English communicate with healthcare providers, government services, and other organisations. Interpreters are available in hundreds of languages, helping people access information and services more confidently and independently. When attending medical appointments, understanding treatment options and asking questions is incredibly important. If language is a barrier, you have the right to ask whether an interpreter can be arranged. Professional interpreters can help ensure you receive clear and accurate information about your care. 📞 TIS National: 13 14 50 🔗 Learn more: https://www.tisnational.gov.au/ 💬 We'd love to hear from you: Have you used an interpreter during your cancer experience? What helped you feel more informed, supported, and confident when communicating with your healthcare team? As always, please only share what you're comfortable sharing, Together, we are stronger. 💗🌏 Resource Spotlight: Chinese Cancer and Chronic Illness Society of Victoria (CCCIS)
We'd like to share a resource that may be helpful for Chinese members of our CALD community. The Chinese Cancer and Chronic Illness Society of Victoria (CCCIS) provides culturally and linguistically appropriate support for Chinese Australians affected by cancer and other chronic illnesses, along with their families and carers. Services include support groups, family support, community education, wellbeing activities, and practical assistance. For many people, being able to access support in their preferred language and connect with others who understand their cultural background can make a significant difference during a cancer journey. 🔗 Learn more: https://cccis.org.au/ 💬 We'd love to hear from you: Have you found a culturally specific service, support group, or resource that helped you during your breast cancer experience? As always, please only share what you're comfortable sharing. 💕🌏 Together, we are stronger. 💗Chest Cancer Breast Cancer
Hello readers (all members, carers, staff, the public), Having read various requests, pleas, posts that communicate the need to INCLUDE males, in fact all people of any gender and age, and still see vastly inadequate awareness and action, please understand why this call for action might reflect how urgent, emphatic and furious it can become. How many requests, how many years, how many lives suffering shame/embarrassment/stigma/isolation, how many deaths, how much ignorance, even among today's GPs, how little support, how many undiagnosed cancer cases??? For anyone who cannot feel empathy, like it-does-not-affect-me or they-are-JUST-minority, then think… if it is your: son, brother, father, partner, husband, grandfather, grandmother, child, other loved ones, or someone you respect. Actions please, especially by BCNA, and other organisations, in the position of power to do something about it -right now. Strongly recommend: Marketing Team, able and influential. BCNA pages’ banners are the worst misinformation propagator of ‘women-only, pink pink bathing-big-busts-the-goal-in-life; no children, no males, no matter cancer undiagnosed untreated they are nobody. Requests of years ago still ignored. Please right now stop plastering pink pink bright pink all over, highlighting bulging breasts in pink bathing suits as if for a women-only swim club, exclusively pink bright pink skirts, and just women maniacally laughing. Over-the-top incongruous. Please don’t switch to extreme stereotypes either, like typically the most wrinkly hand being held by an age-contrast hand, in copy-cat robots’ stock-photos marketing. While you’re adjusting, please very ably and kindly reduce all the auto flipping/sliding panels, hyperactive donate-button, and fast drop-drown whenever we just hover or just breathe; it’s turning us into a nervous twitchy moving-image-nauseous wreck. Some have x months to live, can marketing spend 3 hours to make a beta, 3 days to go live, for them to see in time? Merchandise. Please adjust the pink pink pink ribbons. How about a more INFORMATIVE, educating, creative, inclusive pink+green+brown for example, avoiding gender-again gender blue. Something neutral and universal? A flower+leaf+stem, sun moon star, or a simple band? A sticky post please, kind can-do staff, to educate and change habit. Something like “Genderless breast cancer affects all”, in green? Avoid gender-colour. Members posting please use neutral communication instead of all these ‘lovely ladies’. We are supposed to know better, and the public can read these posts to learn from us. No, it is not enough to have ONE day of the year for half the population -cancer affects everyone in the person’s life. No, it is not acceptable to shove males, children, and so-name-called CALD (we are all of us diverse multicultural so it’s not right for one group to name call the ‘others’ as diverse) to go talk among yourselves in that corner or in a locked group. As if get out of my sight. As if we don’t care. As if you’re not one of us. It is not fair to burden this task on the shoulders of the ‘not one of us’ to educate the mass. The task is on us. Please get updates of info to reach and make sure GPs and all other medical professionals are up-to-date and aware. Still a problem, in 2026. Please action, everyone. Kind members please do, if not already. Please search ‘male’, ‘men’, and topic ‘Inclusion’ 2019? on this site, to listen, to hear, to understand, to be kinder. Let’s mark today’s date 20-Mar-2026 awaiting action. We are counting, each day. More suffering. Any effective action. Please. With hope and thanks. [Edit: Tagging PeterB and traveltext to acknowledge and show appreciation.]🧠FREE ACCESS to Mental Health Care ❤️
A Medicare card is not needed to access this service. If you or someone in your community is feeling stressed, overwhelmed, worried, or unsure where to get help, support is available for you. You do not need a Medicare card. You do not need to pay to get started. And you do not need to navigate it alone. Medicare Mental Health Centres connect people with trained mental health professionals who can support you with: Managing health concerns Stress, anxiety, or low mood Family or relationship pressures Settlement challenges Trauma or past difficult experiences Feeling isolated or lonely These services are welcoming, safe, confidential, and culturally respectful. 📞 Call them on 1800 595 212 (Mon–Fri, 8:30am–5pm) to get free mental health care help that fits your individual needs and budget. They can help you make a plan, find services near you, and arrange interpreters if needed. Everyone deserves support - please call our Helpline on 1800 500 258 if you're not sure where to get started - we are here to help ❤️🌍 Research Findings: Experiences of CALD People with Cancer
For those interested in understanding more about the unique experiences and needs of people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds affected by cancer, Victorian Integrated Cancer Services (VICS) has released important consultation findings. These insights explore the challenges CALD communities face when navigating cancer care and highlight opportunities to create more inclusive, accessible, and culturally safe support across the system. You can read the full research findings and project details here: 👉 https://vics.org.au/projects/cald-consultation-2025-26-vics-optimal-care-summits If you’d like to discuss the report, share your reflections, or talk about what culturally responsive care means to you, feel free to start a conversation below. Your perspectives are always valued. 💛Welcome to the Group – Multilingual Breast Cancer Resources Available
We’re glad you found our Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) group! If you or someone you care for prefers information in a language other than English, Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) offers a range of Multilingual resources designed to support people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. What’s available? BCNA provides translated information in multiple languages, including resources about: Understanding breast cancer Treatment options and side effects Living well during and after treatment Support services and navigating the health system These resources are designed to help everyone feel informed, supported, and included. We’re here for you🤝 If you have questions or need help finding resources in your preferred language, please reach out to BCNA's Helpline 1800 500 258 or call The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 13 14 50 ask to call Breast Cancer Network Australia.
