Friday Update - 1st August 2025
Hello and welcome to our Friday Update! Whether you’re new to the BCNA Online Network or a long-time member, we’re so glad you’re here. This safe space built on connection, understanding, and shared experience. Last month, we’ve seen powerful conversations, and practical advice shared across the community. From navigating treatment side effects to finding emotional support, your contributions continue to make this network a safe and empowering place for all. If you’re just joining us, we encourage you to explore the forums Get started here introduce yourself, or simply read along. And if you’ve been with us for a while, thank you for continuing to support others. 💬 Trending Online Network Discussions – July 2025 Bone and join pain side effects of chemotherapy Offering practical advice and emotional support for those newly starting chemotherapy treatment. From bad to worse, but getting better. Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) after previously having early-stage cancer. Kindly sharing story with the community, sparking conversation and shared experiences. Implant or Autologous Flap? Exploring reconstruction options post-mastectomy, with members sharing their experiences with implants versus DIEP flap procedures. WHO do I tell? Emotional challenges of disclosing diagnosis to loved ones. Members sharing advice on navigating conversations with family and friends. Letting go of blame - WHY did I get cancer? Inspired by a BCNA podcast, this discussion sparks meaningful dialogue about emotional healing and self-compassion. 🌟 BCNA Highlights – July 2025 Expanding the ‘Seat At The Table’ Program BCNA continued to grow its internationally recognised Consumer Representative Program Seat at the Table program , empowering people with lived experience to influence cancer research, policy, and care. This initiative ensures that real voices shape decisions that affect breast cancer patients nationwide. BCNA Consumer Representative Kym shares what she thinks Do you think it’s important that those with lived experience are involved in research? Global Advocacy for Metastatic Breast Cancer BCNA joined forces with Breast Cancer Now (UK) and Rethink Breast Cancer (Canada) at the Australian High Commission in London to launch a joint advocacy pledge. The united call to action urges governments and health systems worldwide to count and recognise people living with metastatic breast cancer; a critical step toward improving care, visibility, and support. Watch Together for visibility, equity, and support! Exciting News! BCNA is proud to welcome Red Energy as our inaugural Principal Partner. This partnership marks a significant milestone in our mission to support all Australians affected by breast cancer. Together, we’re powering hope, connection, and change. Stay tuned for more on how this collaboration will make a meaningful impact. Male Breast Cancer Awareness In November 2024, Martin noticed signs that something was wrong with his health. Read his story via the link Humbled by the love and support 📅 BCNA Events BCNA Pink Lady Match – Sunday 10 August 2025 Join BCNA and major partner Red Energy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as the Melbourne Demons take on the Western Bulldogs in support of Australians affected by breast cancer. Watch video Pink Lady Match is back, and tickets are on sale now Event Schedule 1:30 PM – BCNA Tribute Field opens in Yarra Park 1:30 PM – BCNA merchandise available outside Gate 1 and between Gates 5–6 2:00 PM – MCG gates open; attendees take seats for entertainment and pre-match ceremony 3:00 PM – Players enter the field 3:20 PM – Match begins Carman’s Fun Run Sydney– Sunday 21 September 2025 🏃♀️ Location: Metcalfe Park, Pyrmont, Sydney Time: 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM AEDT Event Options Half Marathon (21.1K) – Wave A: 7:15 AM | Wave B: 7:20 AM 10K & 5K Runs – Waves start from 9:00 AM Pink Lady 5K Walk – Starts at 10:15 AM Read more and register via the link Carman’s Fun Run 2025 - Sydney That’s a Wrap! Thank you for joining us for another month of connection, support, and shared strength in the BCNA Online Network. If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our moderators via BCNA_Mod or email helpline@bcna.org.au . We’re here to help and always happy to hear from you. Until next time, take care and stay connected! BCNA_Mod Team
National Press Club of Australia was on cancer & immunotherapy/chemotherapy & genome testing
On the ABC TV On Wed June 26th was a discussion by an Oncologist talking about more recent chemotherapy 'specific tumour targeting' with the newer chemos/immunotherapy. Given by an Oncologist who is Stage 4 Metastatic. You should be able to watch it here below on ABC iView if you didn't see it on TV https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NC2411C022S00chemo and day to day
Its me again, sorry I haven't been on here for a while, just an update on my progress, so this Thursday will be my 5th TCH chemo treatment, I feel there is light at the end of the tunnel! just one more after that then just herceptin injections and start on tamoxifen for 5 years. I had to cancel my trip to UK in December because of treatment but my family will still go, so a little anxious about being home alone after final chemo, but saying that, it means I only have myself to look after and I won't have to worry about all the christmas shopping and food! The side effects, mainly fatigue and really achy muscles everywhere (not sure if its the chemo or neulasta injection causing it) seem to hang around longer with each treatment. I would just like to say to all the new ladies starting out on this journey, it really is manageable and you do adjust after the initial shock of diagnosis into a routine of what lies ahead, the time goes fast and there is a cloud up there with a silver lining. If there is anyone in Perth, north of the river, would love to meet up for a coffee.
Friday Update!
Hello and welcome to the first Friday update on our new platform! Community Highlights We have 35 new members. Please welcome Poppi, LittleBird, quicknumber11, bubbleeblonde and all our new members. This week we had 37 posts and 332 comments. BCNA News & Events MammaPrint test may help some women safely avoid chemotherapy, MINDACT clinical trial: A large international clinical trial suggests that MammaPrint gene testing could help thousands of Australian women with a common form of early breast cancer to safely forgo chemotherapy. To read more click here Federal government to fast-track approval process for new: Breast Cancer Network Australia has welcomed the announcement by Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley that will see some new cancer drugs, including drugs for metastatic breast cancer, made available in Australia more quickly than they are under the current approval processes. To read more click here Secondary breast cancer telephone support: Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) provides professional one-on-one counselling support to women and men with secondary breast cancer, and their families. For more information click here BCNA Information Forums: Held in rural, regional and metropolitan locations around Australia, our Information Forums are free events for people diagnosed with breast cancer, and their partners, family and supporters. To find out where our next information forums are being held click here. Pink Lady Luncheons: It was wonderful to catch up with our Sydney supporters and hear The Hon. Nick Greiner share his breast cancer experience at our first Pink Lady Lunch in Sydney this week. Here are some pictures from both the Perth and Sydney luncheons. BreaCan Navigator: The BreaCan Information Navigator is a resource aimed at women who have been diagnosed with early breast cancer. It is a stepping stone to finding good quality, current information on a range of breast cancer related topics from reputable sources. For more information click here Have a lovely weekend, Ann-MarieFriday Update!
Hello and welcome to the Friday update! It’s almost here and we are very excited! As you may know, the online network is getting a makeover. Some of you have been following the updates and asking questions over in the Community Shift group. On Monday, 29 August, the online network will go offline around 9am and it will remain offline all week. On the following Monday, 5 September, you’ll come back here and voila! New online network. If you need anything during this time, please don't hesitate to email us at bcnaonline@bcna.org.au or call us at 1800 500 258. Community Highlights We have 24 new members. Please say hello to Rosep, archer21, DebbieT and all our new members. This week we had 41 posts and 381 comments. Here are some you may have missed - Tao - High grade DCIS Dmcook - Concerned DonnaF - One year on Cat4462 - First Chemo BCNA News & Events Supporting people with a disability - Join our consultation on the impact of disability on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. BCNA wants to ensure that it provides accessible and appropriate breast cancer information and support to people with disabilities and their families. We would like to understand what information and support people with a disability who have breast cancer need and we are interested in the breast cancer information and support needs of people who support people with a disability. More information is available about the project in the participant information statements for people with a disability and for family members, carers and support workers. If you would like to share your experience with us or would like to find out more, please contact Grace Daley via gdaley@bcna.org.au or on 1800 500 258. If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, contact Grace through the National Relay Service www.relayservice.gov.au. Pink Lady Luncheons - The Pink Lady luncheons provide an opportunity to support Australians affected by breast cancer and are held in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) and Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness Day (13 October). Click here for more information. (Our CEO Christine Nolan, our very special guest speaker Ita Buttrose and BCNA Board Member Megan James at our Canberra luncheon) Pink Sports Day - AFL ledgends Mick Martyn & Mark Williams took some time off preparing for the upcoming EJ Whitten Legends Game to organise another Pink Sports Day game for a great cause... The Newport Power on this Saturday August 27!!! To find out how to get involved with Pink Sports Day click here! (Image-Starweekly.com.au) BCNA Information Forums - Our free breast cancer information forums took place this week in Brisbane, Mackay & Roma. We had a wonderful turnout to all three events and look forward to coming to Sydney in October. Have a lovely weekend, Ann-Marie xxFriday Update
Hello and welcome to the Friday update! Community Highlights We have 15 new members join the Online Network this week. Please give a warm welcome to bean23, Frizz, KathnMad and all our new members. We had 39 posts and 357 comments with Chemo being one of the common topics discussed. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences they may be having or had with this treatment. Even though each person’s journey is different when undergoing chemo, it really helps our new members have a better understanding by hearing from others. I wanted to share some of those posts with you– Chemo Advice - BoraBora Chemo today - Kester Research radiotherapy, handling AC chemo, taxol, head care - sw2012 BCNA News & Events An international clinical trial has found that extending aromatase inhibitor treatment from five to ten years provides further protection against breast cancer coming back for some women. For more information click here Breast cancer affects the whole family. Shock, sadness, anxiety and anger are all completely normal emotions for partners and family to feel. If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer or someone close to you has, click here to visit our family and friends section on our website. Let's make sure every member of the family has the information and support they need. BCNA Upcoming Forums: Vietnamese Information Forum - Saturday 9 July 2016 and Wednesday 20 July 2016 Take on the Sydney Harbour Bridge with Team Pink Lady at the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival. We are excited to announce that this year we will be taking our Pink Lady Luncheons to five locations around the country – Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Held in the prelude to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the luncheons are a special opportunity to enjoy an exquisite day out in support of all Australians affected by breast cancer. We hope you can join us! Have a lovely weekend everyone, Ann-Marie xFriday Update
Hi everyone, welcome to the Friday update! Community Highlights We had 20 new members join the online network this week from all over Australia. Please welcome Pedo, briseis, AnjiS, Ali_h78 and all the other new members. There were 43 posts and 279 comments this week. Here are some posts you may have missed - Busselton BCNA Forum- Jenpen Post all treatment, does it get better? – Brenda5 Starting Chemo – SSCruiser Is this all normal - naomi.v BCNA News & Events BCNA Vietnamese Information Forums. Free breast cancer information day. Sunshine North 9th July Springvale 20th July To find out more information about events happening around the country click here to visit our events page. Self care isn't selfish, it's necessary. Take some time out this weekend to focus on YOU! Ann-Marie x
I did it
This time last week I was in the hospital with a partially collapsed lung and chest drain. Today, I participated in The Color Run and thoroughly enjoyed myself. This is me at the half way mark before I really got covered with colour and glitter. I am also really proud of my medal even though due to my recent complications I wasn't able to actually run the whole 5kms, in fact I think I probably ran only about 2kms - but still I finished. I'm now about to take some pain killers and spend the rest of the afternoon vegie out on the couch watching Xena (my partner bought me the dvd box set) - anything to keep my mind off tomorrow which is my first chemo session.
initial diagnosis of stage 4
Hi everyone, I was lying in bed last night thinking thinking as you do, and i am wondering just how many of us out there were initially diagnosed with stage 4 metastic breast cancer, I had been having my mammograms every two years and then three months before my next one I had excrutiating pain in my left breast, went to my gp, straight to adelaide for ultrasound mammogram and three fine needle biopsies, then off to breast surgeon as we thought it was early breast cancer, he then ordered the scans and bone scan to do the staging process, when we went back for results, it was off for a ct of my liver there and, fortunately his rooms were adjacent to a radiology rooms, so the results were given to him in 20 minutes, then we got the news, it was in my liver, so then the merry go round really started, I went in to FIX IT mode, we went and so my oncologist, and fortunately for us he is fantastic and has an amazing skill set, so then it was chemo, then tamoxifen, then feamara, which worked well for 9 months, now its affinitor and aromicin, last mri showed up more spots on my spine about 30 or more, now its more scans on Fri.30th jan, results on 3rd Feb, app. with radiation specialist on Feb9th due to a lot of pain in my hip, I will see him and see what he has to say, and so it goes on and on. However the reason for all this is to try and find out just how many of us on diagnosis received the news it was already stage 4, I have had the braca gene test and that came back inconclusive, I have to believe that it was just the luck of the draw, even though I had had regular mammograms since I was 40, this came about because my mother had just died of non hodgkins lymphoma and it really scared me, I had to really push my gp to have a mammogram at that age but for peace of mind he agreed, my query also is how long would it take for stage 4 to set it self up in my body no one seems to be able to answer to question and it makes me feel guilty that I should have done more,somehow, not sure what I could have done though, well thanks for reading this, and any information would be helpful. Is there a database for women with an initial diagnosis of stage 4, and how many of us are there with the advanced cancer diagnosis in the country, many thanks and look forward to hearing from anyone with information.
Delayed Chemo
Hi Everyone, I had my first chemo two weeks ago (tolerated well) and was all prepared to have number 2 this Monday that just passed but my white cells were too low so oncologist wants to delay in for a week. I'm having chemo every two weeks, so my white cells had not come back up where they should have. I'm now eligible for the white cell booster, but I've been quite nervous about the delay. I could push to have chemo on Friday, but am now thinking what's the difference between Friday or Monday. Anyone else had a similar experience? Thanks, Penny
