Friday Update - 17th April 2025
Hi everyone, We’re back with your latest update from Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA)—keeping you across activity happening within the organisation and the broader community. Whether you’re 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). 📚 Resource of the Month: “My Journey” 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. 📢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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – 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. 📢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 conference’s 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 🤝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 Energy’s belief in BCNA’s 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. 🔗Read 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 1–21 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, we’ve raised over $27 million to ensure that no one diagnosed with breast cancer is unsupported. 🔗Read more about this incredible partnership via the link Bakers Delight Breast Cancer Campaign Partnership 🎉 Event Spotlight: Carman's Fun Run is coming to Sydney in 2025! Carman's Fun Run SYDNEY 2025! We’re 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, you’re 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 👂 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 Team
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 won’t 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 GiovannaMedia 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 – 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 youMedia opportunity in Sydney today posted 10/5/2019
Media opportunity! We're looking for a woman in Sydney with young children who would be happy to share her breast cancer story with media. The interview would take place today and you'd also need to be in a photo with your children. If you'd like to be involved, please call BCNA’s media manager Penny Davies on 0409 385 358
LOOKING FOR BREAST FRIENDS TO SHARE THEIR STORY
BCNA’s national Pink Bun Campaign kicks on off on 2 May. We often are asked by media outlets to interview breast cancer survivors during this time. Throughout the month of May BCNA wants to celebrate our members and the people who have supported you – your Breasties. A media opportunity might also involve visiting a Bakers Delight store. If you are interested or would like more information please email kcurtain@bcna.org.au Include your: Name, State in which you live- including your nearest Bakers Delight and availability. Please also provide a few lines about yourself and diagnosis and advise if you have breast friends that would also be interested.Media opportunity in Perth and Sydney regarding out of pocket costs...
Hello everyone, I have been asked to reach out to our online network community to see if anyone may be interested in a media opportunity regarding out of pocket costs. We are seeking someone from Perth and Sydney, who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer (not too far post diagnosis), who has experienced out of pocket costs and the need to be told about these out of pocket costs before treatment. There will be an announcement made this week regarding this issue. We are seeking some personal stories and experiences. According to our Media Manager, Kellie Curtain, there is an opportunity for an interview for TV and radio later this week. If you are interested can you please email Kellie asap via kcurtain@bcna.org.au Thanking you GiovannaMedia request - Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Hello everyone, We have had a media request asking if we have any members who would be interested in being interviewed for a University Assignment for Breast Cancer Awareness month. The students are working on a group current affairs/news piece to highlight the importance of Breast Cancer awareness and early detection. They would like to include real personal stories from breast cancer survivors of various ages, in particular stories from young breast cancer patients. If you are based in Sydney and are interested in being involved, please reply asap. They are planning to film sometime later this week. Thanking you Kind regards Giovanna
BreastScreen Victoria Podcast
HI all, Here is the much awaited BreastScreen Victoria podcast featuring our CEO Kirsten Pilatti and the online network's very own @kmakm who did a fabulous job. The podcast explores what it’s like to be diagnosed, supports available and why events like the Field of Women are so important.BCNA's State of the Nation Report launched today
HI all, Here is the link to BCNA's State of the nation report which will be presented to government at Parliament House tonight. This report highlights the experiences of over 15000 women and men around Australia who were consulted over an 18 month period. We have been doing some media this morning as there is quite a bit of interest in the report. Here's a link to our CEO, Kirsten Pilatti on the Today Show this morning. Thanks to all of you who contributed to the report. We'll keep you updated with how it goes.Anyone interested in doing a podcast with us?
Hi everyone, We are looking for a woman to be part of a podcast we are doing with Breast Screen Victoria next week. If anyone is interested and meets the following criteria, please direct message me. · Diagnosed through routine mammogram (or sent to a breast screen facility after having a symptom) · Victorian based · Able to be part of a podcast recording on Thursday 14 June at 10.30am (must be able to attend in person at Melbourne University) Thanks!
