My reconstruction turned into 4 surgeries, 9 transfusions & a cardiac arrest… I need advice
Hi everyone, I’ve been going back and forth about posting this, but I’m really hoping to connect with anyone who may have experienced something similar or can point me in the right direction. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and went through the full treatment journey. In September 2025, I underwent reconstruction surgery. What followed was not what I expected at all. I ended up having four surgeries, required nine blood transfusions, and ultimately had the new breast removed. To make things even more traumatic, I went into cardiac arrest when they were trying to wake me up from surgery. I was told it was due to the anaesthetic drug-but I had previously had that same drug without any complications. I can’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. I’ve since questioned whether my body was already too weak, whether the amount of blood loss and transfusions played a role, or whether something was missed or mismanaged. This whole experience has had a huge impact on me physically and emotionally, and I’m now starting to consider whether I should be looking into this further from a medical and possibly legal perspective. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who: Has had severe complications after reconstruction or surgery Has experienced cardiac issues related to surgery or anaesthetic Has sought second opinions or independent reviews Has gone down the path of a medical negligence claim Can recommend good lawyers or specialists (especially in Victoria) I’m not looking to place blame unfairly. I just want to understand what happened and whether I should be advocating more strongly for myself. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this 💕🌸Talk Perimenopause & Beyond with the Menopause Warrior
Kathryn Horley, aka The Menopause Warrior, is hosting two supportive workshops this April. Whether navigating perimenopause, menopause, or medically induced menopause, these sessions are designed to help women feel informed, grounded, and more like themselves again. With a focus on understanding changes, supporting mood and energy, and creating space to pause and reflect, these small group workshops offer a calm, compassionate environment for learning and connection. 🔗 Booking Link: https://www.halaxy.com/book/appointment/kathryn-Horley/occupational-therapist/1568701/1291301📢 Have you ever faced a big bill, or a long journey just to get a diagnostic breast scan? We want to hear from you.
When you find a concerning lump or notable change in your breast, one of the most important things that you should be able to access quickly and safely is the answer to: is this breast cancer? We know that for too many people in our community, the pathway to diagnosis is full of barriers: high out‑of‑pocket costs, long waitlists, no public imaging options, or hours of travel just to access essential scans. ✨ As part of our End‑of‑Financial‑Year national advocacy campaign, we’re calling for fair and equitable access to diagnostic imaging for all Australians. To do that, we need real people to share their experiences and stories that show what is happening right now. BCNA is seeking lived experiences from anyone who has faced challenges such as: 🔸 Travelling long distances or interstate for a diagnostic breast scan 🔸 No public diagnostic facility available in your region 🔸 Significant out‑of‑pocket costs for essential imaging 🔸 Long waitlists that delayed your diagnosis 🔸 Impacts on treatment, health outcomes, or mental wellbeing due to these delays. 💪 Your story is powerful. It can help us demonstrate that access to a diagnosis is not a luxury - it’s a right. Your story will help us advocate for a system where every Australian gets the answers they need, regardless of their bank balance or their postcode. If you’re interested in having your voice heard and suppotring BCNA's advocacy efforts, please complete our Expression of Interest form here; 👉 https://formstack.io/907FC All stories will be handled with the utmost care and confidentiality by our Communications department. Thank you for helping us shape a better system where every Australian can get timely, equitable access to the diagnostic care they deserve ❤️👋 Monday Mingle Meet & Greet - Welcome New Members March 9-15 👋
Welcome to members who recently joined our online community in the past week! We hope you are connecting with others and finding support. Elliebug MonicaMaree blushplastic Janine2 JadeN MickeyMoo ddale Wade Nels Cloe87 J_o_C SliFi belbay UKNurse VioletB33 kcw Patchworkezza MariaL Gordon2026 hk21 Pai91 Clio Dominica Lollipop sg Lynp18 This forum is a supportive space where you can connect with generous members who provide meaningful support to each other. Share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. Explore our various groups for greater peer-to-peer support. Helpful Links to Get You Started: How to start a discussion About BCNA's Online Network Check out our private groups! BCNA Online Network Groups Community Guidelines New breast cancer diagnosis? Read Living with DCIS, LCIS or early breast cancer Listen to BCNA's podcasts: Upfront About Breast Cancer: Just Diagnosed - What's Next? What You Don't Know Until You Do Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis? Watch Just diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer - what's next? Get the Most Out of Our Community: Our long-time members (and newbies too!) are a wealth of information. Don't hesitate to post your questions. You can also update your profile with details about yourself, such as your breast cancer experience and where you live (e.g., Sydney, Melbourne, Regional Victoria) for more targeted responses. You may like to check some of our more light-hearted discussion threads while you are here: Friday Funnies Wise words Creative Corner! Our Gardens Need Help? Message our community manager Christina_BCNA BCNA_Mod or one of our other moderators: Daina_BCNA Mez_BCNA Astrida_BCNA Risha_BCNA Denise_BCNA. Please Note: Please be aware that your posts and comments in the public discussions and public groups can be found and read by anyone, including those who are not members of the online network. This means that what you share in a public discussion or public group may be read by a wider audience, please consider this when sharing sensitive or personal details. The Online Network is not moderated by staff/volunteers on weekends. For urgent queries, contact the Helpline Team via email at helpline@bcna.org.au or phone 1800 500 258, Monday to Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm AEDT.
40 Survivorship lessons learned
I found this YouTube video incredibly helpful and supportive. I’ve attached a photo of the video below so you can look it up. A lot of people, who haven’t been through it, think that the breast cancer experience is over at the end of your ‘medical’ recovery period. You’ve finished your treatment and so you’re done and dusted…right??? As you’re a part of this Network, you know that that is very, very far from the truth. I highly recommend you watch this YouTube video. It’s by a young woman who had a double mastectomy, lymph node removal, radiation and reconstruction. The fact that she can point to 40 lessons learnt itself demonstrates that ‘Survivorship is NOT NOTHING”. You know the scenario, your Medical team has been wonderful but they’re done now. Your family and friends (may) have been supportive but well, ‘you’re done now’ so everything should be normal and you and everyone else can move on. Right? Even if you’re feeling pretty good. Do watch this video, be even more proud of yourself, your body, your mind and your spirit. Acknowledge the battles, be kinder to yourself and know that you are not the only one finding that ‘the only way over Breast Cancer, is through it and it’s a long, long journey.’🌏✨ Introducing CALD Connection - Our New Community Space!
We’re excited to announce the launch of CALD Connection, a dedicated group created to uplift and support members from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds across our online network. CALD Connection is a welcoming space where members can: 🌿 Connect with others across cultures 💬 Share experiences, stories, and traditions 🤝 Build respectful, meaningful relationships 🌟 Celebrate the richness of our diverse languages and identities This group is about learning from one another, amplifying multicultural voices, and fostering a community where every story is valued and every voice matters. Whether you’re looking for connection, cultural exchange, or a supportive place to belong, CALD Connection is here for you. We invite you to join, participate, and help us build a space that truly reflects the strength and beauty of our diversity. 👉 Join CALD Connection today and be part of something meaningful.New Group - Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)
Hello members, If you have been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) or supporting someone with this breast cancer type, you may have asked whether we have a private group available for people. Currently we do not have a dedicated group, however there appears to be growing demand for this and we want to create the conversation: Please provide feedback as to whether you feel you or someone diagnosed with TNBC would benefit from having access to an Online Network private group (Please leave your comment in this discussion thread) What is Triple Negative Breast Cancer? Triple negative breast cancer is the name given to breast cancer that is: oestrogen receptor negative (ER-) progesterone receptor negative (PR-) and HER2 negative (HER2-). This means that the cancer does not use oestrogen, progesterone or HER2 to grow. So this means that drugs used to treat these types of breast cancer are not effective for triple negative breast cancer. Around 15% of early breast cancers are triple negative. The main treatment for triple negative breast cancer is chemotherapy. It is important to know that chemotherapy can be very effective in treating triple negative breast cancer. While anyone can get triple negative breast cancer, it is more common in people who: have an inherited BRCA gene mutation (particularly BRCA1) are under the age of 40 have not reached menopause. Unfortunately triple negative breast cancers tend to be more aggressive than other types of breast cancer. There are several sub-types of triple negative breast cancer, the most common being, a cell type called basal-like. Basal-like means that the cells resemble the basal cells that line the breast ducts. Basal-like cancers tend to be more aggressive, higher grade cancers. Read more via the My Journey article Triple negative breast cancerCounterpart Peer Support Hubs (VIC)
As many of you know, the organisation Counterpart (support for women with cancer) host regular peer support hubs in Melbourne and Geelong. For those who already find these workshops an important part of their journey, and for anyone who hasn’t discovered them yet but might be curious, the following is for you. ✨ The Melbourne Peer Support Hub and phone service reopened on Monday 12 January 2026, providing a space for conversations, information, and connection for those who choose to attend or reach out. In Geelong, the first peer support hub session of the year will take place on Tuesday 24 February. Anyone interested in joining a session or finding out more information can get in touch to learn about what’s available on their website here. There is also planning underway for another regional peer support hub to open later in 2026, with more details expected to be shared as the year progresses. ✨Their in‑hospital program known as Bridge of Support will resume services at several hospital locations: Sunshine Hospital from Wednesday 4 February Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Women’s Hospital, and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre from Thursday 5 February These sessions create opportunities for people going through treatment to speak with trained peers while at hospital. Events and Activities Coming Up in 2026 Counterpart also offer a number of free online activities and events throughout the year, including: A new round of Yoga4Cancer sessions An online Meditation and Mindfulness session A webinar focused on Communicating with young people about cancer: a Canteen perspective A Morning Tea for women living with metastatic/advanced cancer Whether these workshops have been a steady companion for you, or you're hearing about them for the first time and wondering if they might help, we hope this update is useful. You’re warmly encouraged to get in touch with Counterpart, join a session, explore something different, or simply connect with someone walking a similar path. As always - please reach out if you have any questions we can help with!We are here to support you 🩷
Last week’s metastatic breast cancer announcement was a significant step forward, one shaped by years of advocacy and the strength of our community. We recognise the emotional weight of the announcement on those affected by breast cancer. BCNA is here to provide support and resources to help you; 👉 Watch Vicki Durston's message to you on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bcnapinklady/reel/DRvOJP-FBlx/ 👉 Call BCNA’s Helpline on 1800 500 258 between Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm or 👉 Choose a time for us to call you at https://www.bcna.org.au/helpline-self-referral-form/ We’ll keep pushing for better care, better treatment, and better outcomes – while being a trusted place to turn to for anyone affected by breast cancer.
