🗣️ Invitation to share your voice: Understanding Cancer Related Stigma Through Lived Experience
BCNA’s Consumer Engagement team is inviting members of our Online Network to share their experiences of stigma and shame following a cancer diagnosis. Cancer related stigma is not only about visible changes. It can be social, cultural, emotional, and systemic. It can affect how people see themselves, how others respond to them, and how safe they feel seeking care or support. These experiences are often deeply personal, and they can vary widely across communities, cultures, and healthcare settings. 🌏 Why your perspective matters In June, a BCNA trained Consumer Representative will be presenting at the Multinational Association of Supportive Cancer Care Australia Conference. This presentation will bring consumer voices into an international conversation about whole person care, supportive care, and the importance of patient partnership in addressing stigma. To ensure this presentation truly reflects the diversity of experiences across Australia, we are gathering insights from our broader network of members. 📝 Take part in the survey By completing this short survey, you will help shape the content of the presentation and strengthen the messages shared with clinicians, program leaders, policy makers, and researchers. Your voice will help ensure lived experience remains central to conversations about stigma, care, and support. 👉 Take the survey here 🗓️ The survey closes on Friday 8 May 2026 📩 If you have any questions, please contact satt@bcna.org.au Thank you for considering sharing your experience and helping amplify the voices of people affected by cancer.🍎Help shape a new nutrition resource after cancer treatment
A new research study called Survivorship Bites is inviting people with a lived experience of cancer, as well as carers, to take part in co‑designing a nutrition resource for people living with and beyond cancer. This study aims to create practical, evidence‑based information to support eating and drinking well after cancer treatment. Participant experiences and ideas will help guide the development of this new resource. 👥 Who can take part? People aged 18 years and over Victorian residents Those with lived experience of cancer within the past 10 years, or carers for someone who does 💬 What’s involved? Up to four online workshops via Microsoft Teams Each session runs for around 1.5 to 2 hours One short online survey Gift vouchers are provided to thank participants for their time 📅 Important dates Expressions of interest close 14 April 2026 If this sounds like something of interest, members are encouraged to express interest via the link or QR code provided below. Your voice can help shape meaningful support for people after cancer treatment 💛 For more information please contact Project Officer: Kirsty Rowan Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Phone: (03) 8559 5220 Email: mailto:Kirsty.rowan@petermac.org📢 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 ❤️📢 Help Us Advocate for Better Access to Day Chemo & Day Procedures 🌟
We’re looking to connect with patients who are currently stuck on public waiting lists, especially those waiting for day procedures or who are travelling long distances just to receive day chemotherapy. If this sounds like you (or someone you know), we’d love to hear from you. 💡 Why we’re gathering volunteers We’re working on an initiative to highlight how shifting more elective procedures (including all day chemotherapy) into day hospitals could make a meaningful difference. Day hospitals can perform these treatments at around half the cost of overnight hospitals. If more care moved into this setting, it could help reduce pressure on private health insurance premiums and create a more efficient system overall. At the same time, we believe public patients shouldn’t be left waiting months when many of these procedures could be done safely and promptly in day hospitals. Your stories can help demonstrate why this matters. 🤝 How you can help We’re seeking volunteers willing to share their experience (big or small) to support this advocacy work. Your voice could help drive change toward a system that is fairer, faster, and more affordable. If you’re interested in being involved or would like more information, please get in touch with Jannette at 0419 204 059 or admin@executivecounsel.com.au Together, we can push for solutions that truly put patients first. 💙📝Survey: Were you Diagnosed with Breast Cancer Between Screens?
Breast Cancer Network Australia is inviting women in our network to share their experiences of being diagnosed with breast cancer soon after receiving a BreastScreen Australia “all clear” result , often called an interval cancer. ✨ In March, a BCNA‑trained Consumer Representative will be presenting at the BreastScreen Australia Conference, bringing real women's voices directly into discussions about screening, communication, and care. To ensure the presentation truly reflects these experiences from across Australia, we’re gathering insights from our Online Network community who have received an interval cancer diagnosis. 📝By completing this short survey, you’ll help shape the presentation and strengthen the messages delivered to clinicians, program leaders, policymakers, and researchers. Your voice matters – help shape a national conversation 💬 👉 Take the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DXXGBZW 🗓 Closes: Friday, 06 February 2026 Thank you for sharing your experience and helping to shape the future of breast cancer healthcare🙏🗣️ Share your views: A survey of Australian cancer patients regarding current patient education practices
You can participate in this study if you have received treatment for a cancer diagnosis in the past 24 months. Researchers from Monash University are conducting a survey that aims to identify the current practice of oncology nursing education in Australia. It intends to identify if a consistent and holistic approach to education is being provided and what factors may prevent this from occurring. The survey will explore your experience in relation to the education you received by oncology nurses prior to commencing your initial treatment for your cancer diagnosis. At the conclusion of the survey, you will be taken to a second survey to register your interest to participant in a focus group to discuss your experiences. If you decide to leave your contact details, the researchers will follow up with you and provide further information on what is involved in the focus group. You would then need to provide written consent to participate. For more information and to participate in the study please click the link below: Click here to participate
