đA Landmark Win: Australia Bans Genetic Discrimination in Life Insurance!
Declared today - what a start to the month! After ten years of sustained advocacy, Australia has passed legislation banning genetic discrimination in life insurance. This is a historic moment for fairness, medicine, and genomic health. đ§ŹThe bill has now passed the Senate and will become enforceable in October 2026, giving insurers time to update their systems. Once active, Australians will finally be able to access genetic testing without worrying about how their results might affect life insurance đ đ This reform follows years of work from advocates including our very own Vicki Durston, and Monash Universityâs Dr Jane Tiller who described the outcome as extraordinary and vital for protecting everyday Australians. It also creates new opportunities for preventive genomic screening through programs like DNA Screen, which has already provided lifeâsaving information to participants. đş Stories like that of 22âyearâold Mia Hodder, who carries a BRCA2 variant, show the real impact of this shift. She shared that genetic testing empowered her to take preventive action and expressed relief that others will now be protected from discrimination when making similar choices. đThis legislation marks a major step forward for public health, early detection, and equitable access to genetic information. A huge victory for medicine, for genomics, and for fairness. More updates will follow as the implementation date approaches, if you're interested in learning more, you can read the Monash University media release here.
CEO Update - Kirsten Pilatti - Mar26
Hi everyone,⯠Every year, International Womenâs Day gives us a moment to pause, reflect, and recommit to creating a more equitable world. This yearâs UN Women Australia themeâŻâŻâBalance the ScalesââŻresonates deeply with the work we do at BCNA and with the lived experiences of the hundreds of thousands of women we serve. Recently, I had the privilege of spending time with our long-time partner Sussan to explore what this yearâs theme truly means for women navigating Australiaâs healthcare system. Their guiding motto âBy Women, For WomenââŻpairs powerfully with âBalance the Scalesâ, highlighting both the strength of women supporting women and the urgency of creating systems that workâŻwithâŻthem, not against them. In our conversation, I reflected on how often women must fight to be heard, believed, and supported within a healthcare landscape that was never designed with them in mind. At BCNA, our Purpose is to stand for all Australians affected by breast cancer. We want to ensure that everyone can access the care, dignity, and understanding they deserve. đ Watch the video here â¨âŻOur 2025â2030 Strategy: Putting lived experience at the centre For more than 25 years, BCNA has fought to ensure that women's lived experience isnât an afterthought, itâs the blueprint for action. Our new five-year strategy strengthens this commitment. It sets a bold direction to ensure our: support is stronger advocacy is louder reach is wider impact is deeper â¤ď¸âŻI believe that the people we serve are the heartbeat of our organisation. This strategy represents their voices, their stories, and their needs. âŻđ Explore the 2025â2030 Strategy â¨âŻLooking back to look forward One of the stories that continues to inspire me is that of our founder,âŻLyn Swinburne. In the year 2000, Lyn â mum, teacher, and fierce advocate â sat inside the ĂlysĂŠe Palace in Paris. Pen in hand, she paused for a moment, smiling nervously, before signing an international Charter in the presence of French President Jacques Chirac. That moment was more than ceremonial. It marked the beginning of BCNAâs enduring commitment to global advocacy, to womenâs rights in healthcare, and to building a future where equity isnât aspirational, itâs expected. âŻđRead more hereFriday Update - 1st August 2025
Hello and welcome to our Friday Update! Whether youâre new to the BCNA Online Network or a long-time member, weâre so glad youâre here. This safe space built on connection, understanding, and shared experience. Last month, weâve 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 youâre just joining us, we encourage you to explore the forums Get started here introduce yourself, or simply read along. And if youâve been with us for a while, thank you for continuing to support others. đŹ Trending Online Network Discussions â 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. đ BCNA Highlights â July 2025 Expanding the âSeat At The Tableâ 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 itâs 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, weâre 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 đ BCNA Events BCNA Pink Lady Match â 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 â BCNA Tribute Field opens in Yarra Park 1:30 PM â BCNA merchandise available outside Gate 1 and between Gates 5â6 2:00 PM â MCG gates open; attendees take seats for entertainment and pre-match ceremony 3:00 PM â Players enter the field 3:20 PM â Match begins Carmanâs Fun Run Sydneyâ Sunday 21 September 2025 đââď¸ Location: Metcalfe Park, Pyrmont, Sydney Time: 6:00 AM â 1:00 PM AEDT Event Options Half Marathon (21.1K) â Wave A: 7:15 AM | Wave B: 7:20 AM 10K & 5K Runs â Waves start from 9:00 AM Pink Lady 5K Walk â Starts at 10:15 AM Read more and register via the link Carmanâs Fun Run 2025 - Sydney Thatâs 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 donât hesitate to reach out to our moderators via BCNA_Mod or email helpline@bcna.org.au . Weâre here to help and always happy to hear from you. Until next time, take care and stay connected! BCNA_Mod TeamFriday Update - 6th June 2025
Hi everyone, Welcome to your Friday Update from BCNA's Online Network! As we wrap up May, we're excited to share the latest highlights and activity that have shaped our community last month. From the inspiring 25th anniversary of the Pink Bun campaign to powerful advocacy efforts and volunteer celebrations, May has been a month of connection and support. Letâs take a look at whatâs been happening across the BCNA network đ¸ Pink Bun Campaign â 25 Years of Support May marked the 25th anniversary of the Pink Bun campaign, a long-standing partnership between Bakers Delight and BCNA. From 1 to 21 May, bakeries across Australia turned pink to raise funds and awareness for Australians affected by breast cancer. Highlights included: 100% of Fun Bun sales donated to BCNA. Beanies and tote bags sold to support the cause. Pink Bun Parties hosted by schools, workplaces, and community groups. Over $2.4 million raised this year and still counting! You can watch BCNA's CEO Kirsten reflect on the success of the campaign via the link Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! 𧥠National Volunteer Week BCNA celebrated National Volunteer Week by recognising the incredible contributions of its volunteers. Their dedication helps BCNA provide vital support and resources to those affected by breast cancer. đ˘Advocacy and Awareness BCNA have been highlighting concerns about women being denied knowledge of their increased breast cancer risk, advocating for better access to genetic information and screening. We welcome BreastScreen Australiaâs new position statement says every woman should be told her breast density because it affects both your breast cancer risk and how easily it can be detected. Some states are leading the way, but others are still catching up. Every woman deserves to know her risk and have access to support, no matter where she lives. You can read via the link Australian women denied knowledge of their increased breast cancer risk đ¤BCNA Celebrating partnerships BCNA proudly celebrates 20 years of partnership with Sussan, one of our most dedicated Major Partners. Since 2005, Sussan has raised over $3.3 million to support BCNAâs vital services and resources for Australians affected by breast cancer We share a vision to ensure every Australian diagnosed with breast cancer receives the very best care and support. Together, weâve celebrated many achievements and milestones, paving the way for a better breast cancer experience for all Australians â no matter where they live. State of the Nation Report: Sussan's funding of the State of the Nation report has driven significant policy changes and improvements in services for people diagnosed with breast cancer. This report was the largest of its kind and armed BCNA with the information needed to identify eight priorities for urgent action and to influence the necessary change in the healthcare system to address them. Looking ahead, Sussan are focussed on supporting BCNAâs work around risk-based and individualised screening processes, ensuring the 15,000+ Australian currently living with metastatic breast cancer are visible and counted, and enhancing BCNA's digital experience for those affected. Read more about this incredible partnership via the link https://www.bcna.org.au/about-us/our-partners/ đş Did you catch Compass episode, âThe Breast Decision,â on ABC Australia? Weâre so grateful for this powerful episode, which follows Laurenâs decision to stay flat after her breast cancer diagnosis and mastectomy, and how her family navigated learning they carry the BRCA2 gene. The episode demonstrates the importance of informed decision-making and feeling empowered, whether you choose to stay flat or have a reconstruction after mastectomy. This is essential viewing for anyone navigating breast cancer, BRCA decisions, or supporting a loved one. Watch now on Compass Series 39 The Breast Decision đ Event Spotlight: REMINDER Carman's Fun Run is coming to Sydney in 2025! Carman's Fun Run SYDNEY 2025! REMINDER Carman's Fun Run is coming to Sydney in 2025! Join us on Sunday 21 September as Metcalfe Park, Pyrmont, turns pink as our partners at @carmanskitchen and @solemotive bring this fantastic event to a brand-new city. Whatever your speed, we have an option for you. Choose to join our 5km, 10km or half-marathon run, or gather your friends and family for the 5km Pink Lady Walk. If you register now, youâre taking advantage of the EARLY BIRD RATE! Be quick because this discount stops 29 April 2025. Click on the link to find out how to register Register Here đ Let us know what you liked, what you'd love to see more of, or just say hello! Take care and keep the conversations going! @BCNA_Mod TeamFriday Update - 17th April 2025
Hi everyone, Weâre back with your latest update from Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA)âkeeping you across activity happening within the organisation and the broader community. Whether youâre newly diagnosed, navigating treatment, or supporting a loved one, we hope you find the update useful. We cannot believe it is Easter already! Hope you can enjoy the time in a way that feels right for you. You may even like to grab a hot cross bun this Easter at Bakers Delight! Did you know Bakers Delight and BCNA have had a partnership for 25 years? (Read more about this amazing partnership in this update). đ Resource of the Month: âMy Journeyâ upgrade If you haven't explore it it yet, BCNA has launched its new My Journey with better information and support for people impacted by breast cancer! You would've noticed that My Journey and Online Network can now be found in one place for a more streamlined user experience across all devices. We collaborated with consumer representatives and healthcare professionals in creating and reviewing our evidence-based content, ensuring the new My Journey features a broad range of the latest and most credible resources for you. Watch the video here of Naveena (BCNA Consumer Representative) talking about how to navigate the platform. If you have any questions, please go to our Frequently asked questions page in the first instance. To ensure we do not miss any of your feedback or technical issues please log these under the Get in Touch form to ensure feedback is collected in the centralised area. A special thank those of you who have supported us with feedback and troubleshooting solutions during the transition to the new platform. đ˘BCNA in Action: Policy Priorities 2025 With breast cancer being the most common cancer affecting Australian women, annually it is costing the Australian Government nearly $1.8 billion. As we approach the federal election, BCNA is advocating for systemic change in four key areas: Reducing the financial costs of breast cancer treatment and support â Women with breast cancer experience high out-of-pocket healthcare costs as well as indirect costs such as loss of income, leading to substantial financial burden. Prioritising risk-based stratification for early detection and breast screening programs â Genetic conditions and breast density can significantly increase breast cancer risk. Access to specialist diagnostic and screening tests is limited due to restrictive eligibility criteria, cost, and workforce shortages, particularly in regional areas. Addressing unmet supportive care needs for people impacted by breast cancer â Advances in treatment continue to improve survival rates, but physical and emotional impacts such as chronic pain, fear of recurrence, and lymphoedema remain complex and require greater attention. Investing in a sustainable and comprehensive cancer data ecosystem â The lack of comprehensive cancer data, including metastatic staging and recurrence, limits evidence-based healthcare planning and investment. In addition to these priorities, BCNA continues to work alongside the Australian Access to Breast Reconstruction Collaborative Group (AABRCG) to advocate for those at inherited risk of breast cancer to access surgery as a Category 2 rather than Category 3 - preventing people from being diagnosed with breast cancer while they wait for essential risk reducing surgeries. To read more about this collaboration click here. We are also continuing to drive policy reforms that enhance metastatic breast cancer (MBC) staging and recurrence data reporting. đ˘BCNA in Action: National Cancer Survivorship Conference 2025 BCNA recently hosted a pre-conference workshop From Patient to Partner: Unlocking the power of consumer engagement at the 2025 National Cancer Survivorship Conference , aligning with the conferenceâs goal of building capability and capacity in survivorship care and research. The workshop focused on strengthening research impact through effective consumer-researcher partnerships. The session explored best practices for embedding consumer voices in research to enhance study design, improve relevance, and drive meaningful translation into clinical practice. Led by BCNA, in partnership with COSA, the University of Queensland and Translational Research Institute, the workshop highlighted collaborative approaches to integrating consumers into survivorship research, supporting sector-wide learning and capability building. BCNA funded the attendance of BCNA Consumer Representatives and supported the involvement of other peak cancer NGOs involved in the ACNNP to come together. There was shared interest to prioritise reducing barriers and increasing participation in consumer engagement in research, policy and practice. For those newer to consumer engagement, conversations provided encouragement on how to keep moving forward with curiosity and respect. We look forward to sharing the formal evaluation outcomes with all participants and our network. Hear about the conference highlights đ¤BCNA Celebrating partnerships RED ENERGY For a decade now, Red Energy has turned pink for BCNA. Yesterday BCNA and Red Energy celebrated an incredible 10 years of partnership. Since 2015, Red Energy has supported the 58 Australians diagnosed with breast cancer, including being a Major Partner of Pink Lady Match and Pink Sports Day program, which galvanises communities across Australia. Red Energyâs belief in BCNAâs cause manifested itself in the development of the Red BCNA Saver Plan*, through which Red Energy has contributed over $2.3 million on behalf of its customers. đRead more about the impact of this colourful and thriving partnership via the link Red Energy's 10 years of turning pink for BCNA BAKERS DELIGHT From 1â21 May 2025, Bakers Delight bakeries across the country will turn pink to show their support for Australians affected by breast cancer. This year marks a very special milestone, 25 years of partnership between Bakers Delight and Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA). Together, weâve raised over $27 million to ensure that no one diagnosed with breast cancer is unsupported. đRead more about this incredible partnership via the link Bakers Delight Breast Cancer Campaign Partnership đ Event Spotlight: Carman's Fun Run is coming to Sydney in 2025! Carman's Fun Run SYDNEY 2025! Weâre thrilled to share that the wildly popular Melbourne event Carman's Fun Run is coming to Sydney in 2025! Join us on Sunday 21 September as Metcalfe Park, Pyrmont, turns pink as our partners at @carmanskitchen and @solemotive bring this fantastic event to a brand-new city. Whatever your speed, we have an option for you. Choose to join our 5km, 10km or half-marathon run, or gather your friends and family for the 5km Pink Lady Walk. If you register now, youâre taking advantage of the EARLY BIRD RATE! Be quick because this discount stops 29 April 2025. Click on the link to find out how to register Register Here đ We Want to Hear From You! What topics do you want to see more of in the community? Share your feedback, questions, or ideas via helpline@bcna.org.au or reply directly to this post. Take care and keep the conversations going! @BCNA_Mod TeamMen's experience with breast cancer - BCNA interviews
Hi everyone, BCNA are looking for a male who has breast cancer to do a phone interview in the next couple of days for national media outlets. The interview and an accompanying photo will be distributed through the media next week. National male breast cancer awareness day is on Wednesday 20 October and we are very keen to showcase the issues males experience having breast cancer. If you would like to be involved please email Anna today at awilson@bcna.org.au
Media story call out for TONIGHT those living in NSW? BCNA request
Hi all, Please see post below on behalf of Vicki Durston, Director of Policy, Advocacy and Member Support at BCNA. Today we have been asked to be interviewed on A Current Affair about the cancellations of elective surgery in NSW related to Breast Reconstruction. We are looking for someone who might like to share their story of how the waitlists could potentially impact those already waiting for Breast Reconstruction in NSW. If you could help us - we would be so grateful, as this gives BCNA national coverage to send the message that we are here for all those in NSW facing these challenges through the COVID pandemic. Time is of the essence, so we would need to hear back ASAP. If you could call the Helpline if you are interested on 1800 500 258 and let the team know that you would like to participate, we would be so grateful. Regards Vicki.
Palliative care crisis in Victoria - Can you help us? 11/9/2020
Hello everyone, We are reaching out to our network as we are seeing a palliative care crisis in the state of Victoria. We are going to be sending out a media release to highlight the issues associated with visitor restrictions in hospitals and those needing care in the community who are not able to access much needed services. We are looking for someone that is currently experiencing these challenges or can appreciate these challenges to help BCNA with the message. Media wonât speak to us without speaking to someone going through these challenges . If you or one of your family members would be willing to contribute we would love to hear from you. Please contact Vicki Durston directly on 0411 212 261. Thanking you kind regards Giovanna
Exploiting breast cancer
Is anyone else as furious as me about the revolting, demeaning ad campaign by Honey Birdette exploiting Breast Cancer Awareness month? I'd like to know if our leaders are going to write a position statement on this. https://www.collectiveshout.org/honey_birdette_sexing_up_breast_cancerMedia request - Women in all states/territories who can speak about allied health
Hello everyone, We are looking for one or two women in every state and territory who would be happy to speak to the media about the importance of allied health services, for example, exercise physiologists, physiotherapists, dietitians, psychologists, lymphoedema therapists, social workers, etc. for a media campaign in relation to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The key issues include: - Cost - Under GP Management Plans and Team care arrangements, women are eligible to claim a Medicare rebate for up to five visits per calendar year to allied health practitioners; we want this extended to 10 visits per year. - Availability of services â for example availability of services in outer regional or rural areas. If you are interested, please email Andrew Ellis, Media Manager at BCNA aellis@bcna.org.au Thanking you
