May Content Round-Up
Hi members, I hope you have all had a great month! Please find the content round-up below for May. Do you have any feedback or have any ideas of what you want the team to cover? Please send me an email acox@bcna.org.au – I’d love to hear from you 😊 Enjoy! Amelia Ask the Expert: Managing cognitive changes related to breast cancer treatments with Jo Lewis We heard from occupational therapist Jo Lewis and BCNA member Kate Keogh Murray. Jo has over 20 years’ clinical experience as an occupational therapist and her clinical work specialises in workplace rehabilitation and work health and safety. She is currently completing her PhD, investigating how cognitive changes experienced by women with breast cancer impact on return to work. Kate was diagnosed with early breast cancer in 2017 and is currently experiencing cognitive changes due to her breast cancer treatment and prescription medication. This session addressed what you need to know about cognitive impairment following breast cancer treatment, including key causes and symptoms you may experience, effective strategies and practical tips to help you manage symptoms, and where you can find help. Watch here. Webcast: Managing long-term side effects of breast cancer treatment In this webcast we heard from medical oncologist Professor Bogda Koczwara and BCNA Consumer Representative Naveena Nekkalapudi. Bodga is a senior staff specialist at the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer where she developed a Survivorship Program and is the Cancer Council SA’s Clinical Investigator for chronic disease management after cancer. Naveena was diagnosed with early breast cancer in 2014 and discussed the long-term side effects she experiences, her strategies to manage them, and her advice for others. This webcast addressed common long-term side effects of breast cancer treatment and how you can manage them, explained why ongoing support and follow-up care is important, explored the role of survivorship care plans and why you might need one, and let you know about support and resources available to you. Watch here. Information Forum: This month we hosted our first Information Forum in Ballarat. Thank you to those who joined us. We will have on-demand videos of the presentations on the BCNA website in the coming weeks so keep an eye out. On Wednesday 22 June we will be coming to Launceston. For more information or to register, visit the BCNA website. The Beacon: The June edition of The Beacon launches tomorrow! You will be able to view it on the BCNA website. In this edition of The Beacon, you’ll hear about a woman’s experience with meditation and mindfulness following a breast cancer diagnosis, discover the benefits of mindfulness from our expert, discover the power of a conversation with someone going through a similar experience and learn about why exercise is the wellbeing wonder drug and how you can get into it. Plus, much more!March content round-up
Hi members, My name is Amelia and I work in the Member Content and Engagement team at BCNA. At the end of each month, I will do a round-up of all the podcasts, events and resources we have launched so you all have them in the one place. If you have any feedback on the content or have any ideas of topics you’d like covered, please feel free to always send me an email acox@bcna.org.au. Enjoy! Thank you, Amelia Podcast: In conversation with Shannane and Kate: Under 40 and living with breast cancer Joining us for this In Conversation episode is Shananne and Kate. Kate was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer when she was 26 years old and 28 weeks pregnant. Shananne was diagnosed with hormone receptor positive breast cancer in 2018 when she was 37 years old and pregnant with her third child. During this candid conversation between Shananne and Kate we’ll hear about their reaction on being told they had breast cancer, the treatment they received, the challenges they faced and continue to face, coping strategies they used and advice they have for other young women. Listen here. LGBTIQ+ experiences of cancer and cancer care: Joining us for this episode of Upfront is Jane Ussher and Natalie Halse. Jane is a Professor of Women’s Health Psychology in the Translations Health Research Institute at Western Sydney University and is the lead researcher in the recent ‘Out with Cancer’ Study. Natalie is a registered nurse and a BCNA consumer representative with lived breast cancer experience of a LGBTIQ+ person. We hear about some of the key findings of the ‘Out with Cancer’ study and its key learnings, discuss disclosure including how to do it safely, the positive benefits, and why some people are reluctant and discover what to do if you experience a negative reaction from a health care professional and the support available. Listen here. Through a rainbow lens – Navigating breast cancer as an LGBTIQ+ couple: Joining us for this episode is Mel Krollig and her partner Riki Owens-Bennett. Mel was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 at the age of 36 and has had fertility treatment, a single mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Riki works as a community worker for the LGBTIQ+ communities in South Australia and has been by Mel’s side during her breast cancer journey. Riki and Mel have been together for 19 years, and despite a few COVID-19 related delays, married in 2021 in a celebration surrounded by family and friends. We’ll hear about Mel’s experience of breast cancer, how Riki supported her, the challenges the couple faced together and how they navigated the system as a LGBTIQ+ couple. Listen here. Webcast: Just diagnosed in 2022, what’s next? In this webcast, we heard from specialist breast cancer surgeon Mr Sunil (Sunny) Jassal, breast care nurse Meg McDonald and BCNA Consumer Faye Louey. Sunny is a director and founding member of Melbourne Breast and Endocrine Surgeons and works with leading radiologists, pathologists, oncologists and plastic surgeons. Meg works at Melbourne Breast and Endocrine Surgeons where she is an integral part of the breast cancer care team. Faye was diagnosed with early breast cancer in 2019 and discussed how she took control of her diagnosis after the initial shock. Watch here. New resources: BCNA is thrilled to have launched new content to support First Peoples women and people from LGBTIQ+ communities who are diagnosed with breast cancer. These two projects, undertaken with support from Cancer Australia, have enabled BCNA to expand our resources for people from these marginalised groups to help them feel empowered to make decisions about their treatment and care and to help them through their breast cancer journey. The information was developed with significant input from consumers through BCNA’s First Peoples Advisory Group and LGBTIQ+ Advisory Group. Read more about the new LGBTIQ+ and First Peoples resources via the BCNA website.