Coping with a cancer diagnosis at Christmas, some helpful tips...
Hello everyone, Its not long now until Christmas and the summer holiday season. As we all know, cancer doesn't take a break at Christmas time. We have recently had quite a few new members join the online network as a result of a new breast cancer diagnosis. They will be having investigations and or treatment over Christmas and New Year break. It would be great for them to hear from our online community re any helpful tips as how to best manage this time of year, with a new cancer diagnosis. One of my tips is to make sure you have some supports in place. If you are having treatment, find out who you need to contact if you have any concerns and to keep a notebook with any contact phone numbers that you may need by the phone. Find out your GPs availability and have a back up plan if necessary. If you are worried about something its better to ask the question. No question is a silly questions when you are coping with a cancer diagnosis.
Christmas on the blog
Dear all , It’s coming up to the festive season once again. All of us , including the medical community , tend to spend time enjoying ourselves with our families and friends.However there are those newly diagnosed or worried about their diagnosis that need our support over Christmas online as medical support unless an emergency is less available. Even the wonderful @BCNA team take a break to be with their families. If you could spare a few minutes to check in on the blog over Christmas/ New Year to help fellow travellers on this worrying road no doubt it would be much appreciated.
Friday Update 19th November 2021
Friday update 19th November 2021 Hello members, I Hope this update finds you well. Summer season is apparently arriving in a few weeks, although recent snow on the mountain tops in my local area tells a conflicting story. The Christmas season is also coming upon us as decorations and merchandise surround us; I will share with you more about some of BCNA’s gift ideas, however I also think it is a timely reminder that for some people Christmas can be difficult and you may like to checkout Cancer Council’s (Vic) Special Occasions and Celebrations resource for practical support and information. Community highlights New groups Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Breast Cancer- This is a private group which has been established to connect members who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and who are also impacted by breast cancer. We look forward to watching the group grow and connections develop. Head to https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/groups/ to look at all groups available. Popular forum discussions Members new and old may have missed some of the forum discussions that have received the most comments: 1. Letting go of being superwoman! 2. Friday Funnies. 3. Tips for after surgery care 4. COVID booster shots (Honourable mention) Have you checked out Christmas Funnies ....... put them up here for a laugh! ? I noticed they have started rolling in for 2021 and provide a bit of a giggle credit @iserbrown Community News CARMAN’S FUN RUN 2022! Melbourne’s picturesque Elsternwick Park will turn pink Sunday 20 February 2022 when BCNA host the Carman’s Fun Run and see thousands of participants walk, run and raise funds to support Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA). If you can’t get to Melbourne, there is a virtual event option, so you can participate from anywhere. Join our inclusive and supportive community who will help inspire you and your friends along your journey to a half-marathon, 10K or 5K. We can’t wait! This Christmas you can gift your friends and family entry to the Carman's Fun Run 2022. Read more and Register here during November to receive the early bird rate! Give the gift of getting together this Christmas. And why not register yourself while you're at it! We know that physical activity/exercise for those diagnosed with breast cancer is important, as well as the benefits of mental and emotional wellbeing from the chance to get together and get active with friends and family. Check out the My Journey article which talks more to this subject https://myjourney.org.au/article/2350 Countdown to Christmas – BCNA 2021 Christmas Catalogue You can shop the Breast Cancer Network Australia Christmas catalogue this festive season and make your gift give twice. From beautifully handcrafted Christmas baubles to decorate your tree, through to Christmas cards and a vast array of affordable gifts and stocking stuffers. All products are available to order online from BCNA and our supporting partners. We recommend you order by December 10, 2021 to ensure a pre-Xmas arrival. *All orders via the BCNA online store will receive a free gift tag and A3 sheet of Christmas wrap. (while stocks last) To view and shop the catalogue visit : https://online.flippingbook.com/view/651868575/ BCNA NEWS 14 Nov 2021 - Third COVID Vaccination for people with breast cancer Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) and the Federal Government are urging women and men with breast cancer to discuss the third COVID vaccine dose with their GP or breast cancer specialist CLICK HERE to read full details (TV coverage on Seven News Instant-play on Streem) BCNA Policy & Advocacy COVID-19 Survey Report BCNA has been continuously in touch with both federal and state/territory governments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to understand the impact on our health systems and to ensure people with breast cancer continue to receive optimal care. Social media members were invited to share if they had experienced impacts to their breast cancer diagnosis, surgery, or treatment via a survey. 30 responses with 24 individual stories were shared. Thematic analysis looked at the common themes and trends within the stories that were shared, here are six of those themes: - Lack of support / loneliness (eg. Unable to have a support person at appointments, causing feelings of vulnerability and fear) - COVID-19 anxiety (eg. Delaying appointments with doctor due to fears of the added risk of contracting COVID-19) - Delays (eg. Unable to have immediate breast reconstruction surgery and added to waitlist for elective surgery) - Mental health (eg. Extreme stress due to travelling for treatment across borders and experiencing long delays due to restrictions) - Tele-health (eg. Receiving news of test results from medical team via quick phone discussion, causing feelings of distress and depression) - Positive stories (eg. Feeling very well informed, understood and supported by medical team from the date of diagnosis) BCNA appreciates contributors to the survey, as these shared experiences can be a powerful way to contributing to and helping inform decisions that will lead to better outcomes. BCNA Member Support Team & Online Network Moderators - Introductions This week I am pleased to introduce you to Carissa from our Member Support Team: I started with BCNA in 2016 as part of the Member Support Team. This role sees me getting to speak to a variety of people on our Helpline, responding to emails, moderating the Online Network and overseeing the operations of our My Care Kit program. My most memorable moment at BCNA would be attending the 2018 Field of Women. I was lucky enough to stand on the ‘G’ with both family and friends and thousands of others. I was also part of the team on the day working outside the ground with an amazing team of volunteers. In my spare time I enjoy listening to a podcast while walking and during lockdown have got back into mindful colouring. Books / Movies/ TV Series/ Documentaries I finally finished ‘Boy Swallows Universe’ by Trent Dalton. I say finally because it took a while to grab my attention and that could be due to the hype surrounding the book. It was a story you wanted to finish just to see what the ending was. I would love to hear if any of you have read it? Enjoy your weekend and in the meantime, if you have any concerns while online, please contact one of the moderators - @Jenny_BCNA @Carissa_BCNA @Anna_BCNA @Pat_BCNA @MichelleP_BCNA @Mez_BCNA If you need to speak with someone regarding your concern, please call 1800 500 258 alternatively, you can email contact@bcna.org.au Take care, The mod team – Mez, Carissa, Jenny, Anna, Pat & Michelle “Every day of your life has been leading up to tomorrow. But of course every day of your life led up to today.” ― Trent Dalton, Boy Swallows UniverseHelpful Christmas gift ideas that support BCNA
Hello members, I just wanted to share BCNA's new Christmas e-catalogue. Your loved ones will enjoy a gift from our BCNA catalogue and your purchase will also help support all Australians affected by breast cancer. From beautiful baubles for your tree to Christmas cards and wrapping, enjoy browsing the vast array of affordable gifts and stocking stuffers available to order online from BCNA and our supporting partners. Please see the full catalogue for all terms & conditions of the offers
