The Whole Person - the 'other' effects of breast cancer
When people hear "breast cancer", they often think of treatment plans and hospital visits. But the impact also shows up in the quieter, more personal corners of life that don’t get talked about as much. It’s the emotional exhaustion of trying to hold everything together. It’s the financial responsibilities of time off work, extra appointments, and unexpected bills. It’s the shift in identity, with pressure to keep up with your job, your family, and your own expectations. It’s the silence around intimacy, menopause, and how your body starts to change unexpectedly. If this resonates with you, you’re not the only one who feels this way—and our Online Network is here to help. Here are some more groups you may not yet have discovered, where you can connect to discuss the 'other' effects of cancer: 💬 Young Women – A place for younger women to talk about fertility, dating, parenting, identity, and everything in between. 💬 Let’s Talk About Vaginas – A real, respectful, and empowering place to talk about sexual health, intimacy, and body changes. In the meantime, please remember that our Helpline team (1800 500 258) are here for you whenever you need support and information.The Whole Person - the 'other' effects of breast cancer
When people hear "breast cancer", they often think of treatment plans and hospital visits. But the impact also shows up in the quieter, more personal corners of life that don’t get talked about as much. It’s the emotional exhaustion of trying to hold everything together. It’s the financial responsibilities of time off work, extra appointments, and unexpected bills. It’s the shift in identity, with pressure to keep up with your job, your family, and your own expectations. It’s the silence around intimacy, menopause, and how your body starts to change unexpectedly. If this resonates with you, you’re not the only one who feels this way—and our Online Network is here to help. Here are some groups you may not yet have discovered, where you can connect to discuss the 'other' effects of cancer: 💬 Work and Breast Cancer – For anyone juggling treatment, recovery, and career. Share tips, vent frustrations, and find support. 💬 Young Women – A place for younger women to talk about fertility, dating, parenting, identity, and everything in between. 💬 Let’s Talk About Vaginas – A real, respectful, and empowering place to talk about sexual health, intimacy, and body changes. In the meantime, please remember that our Helpline team (1800 500 258) are here for you whenever you need support and information.My Care - Understanding Informed Financial Consent
Hi members, During October for breast Cancer Awareness Month, BCNA will shine a light on optimal breast cancer care. The aim is to raise awareness in the community, the health sector and amongst the BCNA network about what optimal care means. I know not all of you are on other social platforms so I thought this would be a good idea to share the key October social media posts through the online network that relate to the theme of 'understanding my care'. The fourth of the five key areas of the Optimal care pathways for people with breast cancer is: 'Informed Financial Consent' Once you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, your focus is often on your treatment. But the cost and impact of that treatment can contribute to what is already an overwhelming time for you and your family. BCNA's Managing the financial impact of breast cancer factsheet can provide you with general information and advice about financial and practical assistance that may be available to reduce your out-of-pocket costs or help you pay for them. You can access BCNA's fact sheet via link Managing the Financial Impacts of Breast Cancer. For further information regarding the optimal care pathway head to our website https://bit.ly/BCNA_BCAM_or call BCNA's Helpline on 1800 500 258 between 9:00 am - 5:00 pm AEST Monday to Friday
Financial Distress
feeling depressed, Trying to access super under compassionate grounds and got rejected, Can't work, can't get the dsp been knocked back as not stable bills are getting bigger and bigger and home loan in jeopardy. Have been told the only way to do this is to let the house go into foreclosure stage then they will pay the loan. Yet during covid they allowed everyone no clauses to access their super and not taxed. Has anyone got any suggestions can't even get income protection as have no job oh and mortgage insurance won't cover me unless I had a job Also have used my accesss to super once this year to pay bills under financial hardship
Managing the cost of breast cancer webcast: tips and resources 16th Sept 7-8pm AEST
Hi everyone, BCNA are holding a webcast on Thursday 16 September, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm AEST on managing the cost of breast cancer: tips and resources. For many people with breast cancer, the financial costs associated with treatment and care can be substantial. General day-to-day expenses continue, while you may also have to pay for specialist appointments, tests and scans, medicines and other treatments, counselling, travel and so on. If you're unable to continue in paid work, the loss of income can also contribute to financial pressure on you and your family. Even when treatment is finished, you may still struggle financially, or you may face the longer-term impacts of ongoing care. For some people, getting by financially is no easy task, even at the best of times. Money worries can have a big impact on how you and your family cope. Informed financial consent requires people to have information about costs and support to make informed decisions about their care. We will hear from Financial Counsellor at Cancer Council Victoria, Antony Mitchell who has a community focus and experience with working with a number of not for profits, and BCNA Consumer Representative Jodie Lydeker who was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer 3 years ago, and detected again in 2021. Jodie will share insight into her lived experience of the financial stress associated with the disease. In this webcast we will explore managing the costs of breast cancer including informed financial consent, public vs private healthcare, hidden and common out-of-pocket costs, questions to ask your healthcare provider, financial wellbeing, career impacts, issues for those who live in rural and remote areas and the resources and support available to you. To register, please follow this link, https://www.bcna.org.au/webcasts-new/managing-the-cost-of-breast-cancer-webcast-tips-and-resources/ Event Details When: Thursday, 16 September 2021 What Time: 07:00 PM AEST - 08:00 PM AEST Local Times: - WA: 5:00 PM - NT, SA: 6:30 PM - QLD, ACT, NSW, TAS, VIC: 7:00 PMManaging the cost of breast cancer webcast: tips and resources
Hi everyone, BCNA are holding a webcast on Thursday 16 September, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm AEST on managing the cost of breast cancer: tips and resources. For many people with breast cancer, the financial costs associated with treatment and care can be substantial. General day-to-day expenses continue, while you may also have to pay for specialist appointments, tests and scans, medicines and other treatments, counselling, travel and so on. If you're unable to continue in paid work, the loss of income can also contribute to financial pressure on you and your family. Even when treatment is finished, you may still struggle financially, or you may face the longer-term impacts of ongoing care. For some people, getting by financially is no easy task, even at the best of times. Money worries can have a big impact on how you and your family cope. Informed financial consent requires people to have information about costs and support to make informed decisions about their care. We will hear from Financial Counsellor at Cancer Council Victoria, Antony Mitchell who has a community focus and experience with working with a number of not for profits, and BCNA Consumer Representative Jodie Lydeker who was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer 3 years ago, and detected again in 2021. Jodie will share insight into her lived experience of the financial stress associated with the disease. In this webcast we will explore managing the costs of breast cancer including informed financial consent, public vs private healthcare, hidden and common out-of-pocket costs, questions to ask your healthcare provider, financial wellbeing, career impacts, issues for those who live in rural and remote areas and the resources and support available to you. To register, please follow this link, https://www.bcna.org.au/webcasts-new/managing-the-cost-of-breast-cancer-webcast-tips-and-resources/ Event Details When: Thursday, 16 September 2021 What Time: 07:00 PM AEST - 08:00 PM AEST Local Times: - WA: 5:00 PM - NT, SA: 6:30 PM - QLD, ACT, NSW, TAS, VIC: 7:00 PM
Let's talk about the financial impact a breast cancer diagnosis can bring into our lives
I saw a psychologist last year as I was struggling without being able to work in my job as it had physical components that breast cancer diagnosis and 18 months of active treatment wasn't conducive to holding down my job with the reliability that would have been required, and then ending up with worsened osteoarthritis and a subsequent diagnosis of hypothyroidism really messed with my ability to hold down a job. Broken sleep, digestive issues plus joint pain and now needing a knee replacement, but on at least a 2 year waiting list through the public system, plus more, it has really taken its toll and I was diagnosed end of 2016 and haven't worked since, and will not get a pension until late next year. Truthfullly I didn't find the help through the psycholoigist can address the poverty I now live in, as they would not be able to live on the amount I am expected to live on! The financial struggle at times just gets too much for me to bear on my own. I am probably not alone in that thought, but I do wonder how a psychologist can help me in that regard to be honest! I try as best I can to be positive, but I do wonder in my darkest moments why I did all the treatment I did and now left to struggle so much. The physical limitations I can accept, but extremely hard to accept living in poverty in Australia and now still waiting for a fully knee replacement. I will not compare our country to others, but I do think we can do better for people such as myself and others in a similar situation. Any thoughts ? Take care out there, and best wishes to all.
Metastatic Mess: Self employed, no super, life or income protection, expired health insurance
Firstly, I hope everyone is feeling the best they can, and keeping positive... or doing whatever works for you if you're sick of people always saying "be positive" :) I feel really silly (and irresponsible) finding myself in this situation of being self-employed, with no super, life/income protection, and to top it off...expired health insurance. My Diagnosis: Age 40 - Breast cancer E+ Her 2-, 3 small children, chemo, radiotherapy, mastectomy, reconstruction. Age 51 - Metastatic breast cancer (bones), radiotherapy, letrozole (estrogen blocker), kisqali (tablets that target cancer cells), Xgeva injection every 4 weeks, slow release pain killers. We live on the Central Queensland coast and operate a small tourism business. We moved here from Brisbane after my first diagnosis. I have spoken with our Bank and they will only delay mortgage payments for a few months which is of little help. The cost of treatments, medications loans and general "living" is unmanageable and I'm now maxing out credit cards. We don't eat out, travel, buy new things etc. There is no breast care nurse here. Does anyone have any advice regarding: claiming centrelink disability as a self-employed person? claiming old super from when I was an employee? robbing banks? sorry... disregard that last comment. Thanks in advance, Silly Sausage.
Financial Mess
If there wasn’t enough stress while waiting for final decision on whether its mets or arthritis. It seems that I'm always chasing my tail or robbing Peter to pay Paul which sucks I knew the financial burden of having cancer sucked big time from experience when hubby was diagnosed but it was never this hard i thought I’d be clever and do a fortnightly budget after all the necessary expenses eg house payment, rates, insurances, phone, motor vehicle that not including maintenance (have to go to work), I'm left with a whole $150-00 a fortnight for my medication thank goodness for health care card and groceries. how do people do it. Does this ever end
What to expect with radiation treatment
I have been told I am borderline but Dr recommends radiation treatment due to original size of tumour ($28,000 per treatment I'd recommend it too!). I finished chemo on 28 Jun 2019, had a mastectomy on 13 August 2019. Pathology shows only 3mm of the tumour remained in breast after chemo. I am quite anxious about radiation and not sure what to expect...so many different opinions, experiences and burns! I didn't realise there is a cost involved although most covered by medicare still a huge gap! Not sure how we will afford it either. Feeling stressed!
