✨ Wednesday Wellness - Education Edition
💡 KNOWLEDGE IS POWER This week’s check in is all about education – because learning is wellness for the mind. We’ve found some upcoming webinars that might spark your interest, inspire new ideas, or help you choose your next steps. Check them out and see what speaks to you! Breast Cancer Education Series Topic: Fertility and Early Menopause in Breast Cancer Patients 🗓️ Wednesday 17 September | 🕠 5:30–6:30pm (AEST) Globally, approximately 500,000 women under the age of 45 are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Most of these women are premenopausal.Join Dr Wanda Cui and Dr Felicity Martin as they discuss fertility considerations in young patients with breast cancer. 👉 Register here Panel Q&A Session Topic: Side Effects of Breast Cancer Treatment & What Researchers Are Doing About It 🗓️ Wednesday 24 September | 🕔 5:00–6:30pm (AEST) Join this free online Q&A event hosted by Breast Cancer Trials - Moderated by Author and Journalist, Annabel Crabb. A panel of leading researchers, clinicians and patient advocates will discuss the latest in clinical trials and emerging treatments that aim not only to improve survival, but also enhance quality of life during and after treatment. 👉 Register here Breast Cancer Grand Round Topic: Making Sense of Emerging Data in First-Line HER2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer 🗓️ Monday 6 October | 🕐 1:00–2:00pm (AEST) Dr Otto Metzger, Medical Oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and principal investigator for the PATINA trial, will explore the latest clinical evidence shaping the treatment landscape for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, and how to apply this to real-world clinical practice to optimise patient outcomes. 👉 Register here 🏃 CARMEN'S FUN RUN THIS WEEKEND - SYDNEY EDITION! After giving your mind a workout, why not give those legs a go too? In collaboration with Sole Motive and Carman’s Kitchen, we invite you to join us this weekend for the first Carmen's Fun Run in Sydney - Sunday 21 September 2025. Walk, jog or run 5km, 10km or 21.1km and make it count by raising funds to help Australians affected by breast cancer. Secure your spot now for an unforgettable, pink-filled day at Metcalfe Park, Pyrmont. Read more and register via the link Carman’s Fun Run 2025 - Sydney 💜💚💛 Let’s take a moment to pause and remember that wellness comes in many forms — like connection, compassion, and community. Whether you're navigating your own journey or supporting someone who is, know that you’re never alone. Together we continue to build a network of strength, hope, and resilience. Warmly, BCNA Mods🌱Wednesday Wellness - 28Jan26🌱
Hi Everyone - before we get into our Weekly Wellness tips, we wanted to acknowledge that our platform experienced an unexpected outage for most of today. Like many of you, we were surprised by the disruption, although it was apparently a planned outage, we did not receive any advance notification that this would occur. Our moderation team worked tirelessly all day to restore the platform and we are happy to share it is now back up and running. We know how much you rely on this space, and we truly appreciate your patience, understanding, and resilience while we worked to get everything back online. While we do not expect this to happen again, you can have the confidence that we will stay on top of the issue until it is resolved if it occurs. Feel free to email mailto:helpline@bcna.org.au if you have any concerns, and it is worth noting that the online outages do not affect our Helpline phone lines. Now to the important stuff - our Wednesday Wellness check in!✨ How has everyone been going with the movement tips we shared a few Wednesday Wellness check-ins ago? I don’t know about you, but I’m someone who gets really motivated to make big changes… and then life happens, things get busy, and those plans quietly drift into the background until the next burst of inspiration shows up. So consider this your little nudge! 😊 I’ve learned that I’m far more likely to stick to my goals when I truly understand the 'how' and 'why' behind them. For me, the insights below completely shifted my commitment to moving my body every day, even on the days when “movement” just means something light and gentle. I've recently learned the 'how' and 'why' the body responds to exercise the way we do, and I hope this information is helpful for you too! Remember to always seek guidance from your healthcare team before commencing a new execerise regime. 🏃♀️How Your Body Responds to Exercise 0–10 minutes: Your heart rate jumps, blood flow increases, your brain becomes more alert, and your body quickly switches between energy systems based on how hard you’re working. After 1 hour: Your body is in full efficiency mode, directing blood to the muscles that need it most and using the energy system best suited to the type of exercise you’re doing. 1 hour post‑exercise: Everything begins returning to resting levels. Your body even over‑compensates, for example blood pressure can temporarily drop below normal (known as post‑exercise hypotension). 1 day later: You might feel DOMS, that normal “delayed muscle soreness” from tiny muscle fibre tears. Once your body adapts, soreness reduces. Gentle movement is usually fine if your form isn’t affected. 3 days later: Your metabolic rate can stay elevated for up to 72 hours after certain workouts, meaning you’re still burning more energy long after you’ve finished. 1 week in: Mitochondria (your energy generators) increase, boosting your energy production. Many people also notice improved mood and confidence. 2 weeks in: Strength and fitness improvements become measurable. If paired with healthy eating, early changes in body composition may appear. 4 weeks in: Improvements ripple across your physical, mental, social, and even financial wellbeing - more energy, fewer sick days, better productivity, and a general lift in quality of life. Moral of the story: Regular movement = a happier, healthier you. 💛 🏃♀️ For those who just found a wind of motivation to get their feet moving, don't forget that Carmen's FunRun Melbourne is coming up soon on February 15th! Join thousands of participants running, jogging, or walking through Melbourne on 15 February. It’s a fantastic opportunity to take on a new challenge, connect with others, and raise vital funds for BCNA to support people affected by breast cancer. 👉 Register here!🌱Wednesday Wellness - 17Dec25 - That's a wrap on 2025!🌱
As we enter in the final weeks of this year, we know the festive season comes with a mix of emotions. For many, it’s a time of joy and connection - but for some, especially those newly diagnosed over the Christmas break when health care services are limited, it can be an especially overwhelming and isolating time. To help you navigate this time, we've published our Resources During the Festive Season page. It’s packed with practical information and trusted support options for when BCNA’s Helpline and other services may be closed or operating with reduced hours. 💪 Please always remember that this community is here for you. Reach out to each other and find your source of strength by connecting with this incredible community whenever you need it. If you’re able to, please offer a little extra support to each other during this time. A kind word or a listening ear (or fingertips in this case!) can make a world of difference to someone struggling through this journey ❤️ If you know someone else who might benefit from this information, please feel free to share it with them or invite them to join in the discussions. Together, we can make this season a little brighter for everyone. Wishing you all a restful, relaxing, and joyful festive season. 🌟 👉 Resources During the Festive Season 👉BCNA's Helpline 🎄 Hours & Support🌱Wednesday Wellness Check-In - 26Nov25🌱
Happy Wednesday everyone! Who here has checked in with how they are feeling today? 🤔 Hopefully you have your lunch break coming up soon, what a perfect opportunity to take a pause and just breathe..... Taking care of your health - physical and emotional - is just as important as all the medical/clinical things you have on your list during and after treatment. If you're looking for an extra touch of wellness this week, take a look at some recent offerings by Breast Cancer Trials: ⭐Information on navigating difficult treatment decisions. ⭐Information on managing sexual health after breast cancer. ⭐Information on breast cancer fatigue and podcast on cardiac care after breast cancer. And for some more 'light reading': ⭐Information on the APHINITY trial and how its findings can reduce breast cancer recurrence. ⭐How early detection and treatment is improving breast cancer outcomes. Don't forget our Helpline is here for you anytime you need that extra bit of support, or just to talk through what's going on for you right now on 1800 500 258 ❤️✨ Wednesday Wellness Check-In
It's time for a Wednesday Wellness check in... 👋 HI EVERYONE We’re halfway through the week, and with spring settling in, it’s a good time to pause and take stock. Whether you’re juggling appointments, managing fatigue, or just trying to get through the day, today’s check-in is all about honouring where you are. 💗 WELLBEING DAYS - VIC Counterpart is hosting two Wellbeing Days for women with cancer, in Traralgon on Oct 8 and Footscray on Oct 28. Any woman who has had a cancer diagnosis (recently or in the past) and their support person, friend or family member is invited to join this supportive space to engage in wellbeing activities and connect with others who share a similar journey. More information available here: https://counterpart.org.au/events/ 🧑🤝🧑 COMMUNITY = CONNECTION Have you checked out the community groups lately? Whether you’re newly diagnosed, navigating treatment, or supporting a loved one, your voice matters. Share a win, ask a question, or simply say hello. Let’s lift each other up and keep the conversation kind and open. 💬 QUICK SHARE Wellness doesn’t always look like green smoothies and morning jogs. What’s one thing that helped you feel great this week? A podcast, a walk, a chat with a friend? Drop it below—someone else might need that idea today. If you’re just joining us, we encourage you to explore the forums Get started here introduce yourself, or simply read along. And if you’ve been with us for a while, thank you for continuing to support others. Warmly, BCNA Mods🌱Wednesday Wellness - 11Mar26 - The healing power of crafting🌱
I hope everythone is keeping well and warm this Wednesday with this interesting Melbourne weather! This week, we are exploring the healing power of arts & crafts. Creative expression has a beautiful way of grounding us. Whether you’re drawing, stitching, sculpting, or simply playing with colour and texture, art invites us into a gentle, mindful space where our thoughts can settle and our spirits can lift. Art and craft can support wellbeing by: ✨ Offering calm and focus ✨ Encouraging emotional expression ✨ Building confidence through making ✨ Sparking joy, curiosity, and connection If you'd like to explore creativity as a tool for healing, you might enjoy this session: 🎨 Healing Using Collage https://counterpart.org.au/events/healing-using-collage/ There are also several wellbeing days coming up run by Counterpart; 🌼 Warrnambool Wellbeing Day https://counterpart.org.au/events/warrnambool-wbd/ 💄 Look Good Feel Better Workshop https://counterpart.org.au/events/lgfb-workshop/ 🌸 Mildura Wellbeing Day https://counterpart.org.au/events/mildura-wbd/ 💬 Geelong Peer Support Hub https://counterpart.org.au/events/geelong-peer-support-hub-mar2026/ Most importantly, once you've created your masterpiece, please share it with us all here in the Creative corner. Share what you’re creating, what inspires you, or what you’d love to try next. We love seeing what you create and your craft might just brighten up someone else’s day. 💛 Wishing you a calm, creative Wednesday everyone.🌱Wednesday Wellness - 18Feb26 - Mindfulness🌱
Midweek can sometimes feel like a blur - meetings, messages, tasks, to‑dos and on top of that healthcare appointments, medications to remember and a family that still needs you. This Wednesday Wellness check in is intentionally kept very simple. Today, let’s just pause for a small but meaningful reset. Mindfulness isn’t about clearing your mind or achieving perfect calm. It’s simply the practice of noticing - your breath, your body, your surroundings, and your feelings - without judgment. It’s giving yourself permission to be here, just as you are, and a reminder that wherever you are right now is enough. And all you need is 1 minute of uninterrupted me-time. Even just a minute of presence oftens creates just enough space to feel grounded again (give it 5 or even 10 minutes if you can!). ✨ Try this 60‑second pause: Sit comfortably. Inhale slowly for a count of four. Exhale for a count of six. Let your shoulders soften. Notice one thing you can see, one thing you can hear, and one thing you can feel. As you move through the rest of your Wednesday and week ahead, carry this reminder: You don’t need big changes to feel better - sometimes all it takes is a mindful moment ✨ Wishing you all clarity, calm, and kindness as you move through this phase of your journey. ❤️🌱Wednesday Wellness - 21 Jan 26 - Managing Those Tricky Emotions🌱
Whether you’ve just received a new diagnosis or been part of this community for a while now, it’s completely normal to feel a mix of emotions throughout your experience with breast cancer: fear, confusion, uncertainty, grief but even sometimes relief, gratitude and hope. Today’s Wednesday Wellness check in focuses on how we can respect and acknowledge the challenging feelings, whilst simulateously keeping space available for the good stuff. Here are a few gentle tips to help you steady yourself as you navigate this journey full of ups and downs; 🚶♀️➡️1. Take it one step at a time You don’t need to understand or do everything right away. Give yourself permission to slow down, breathe, and absorb information at your own pace. Once you've done that, tackle each task, each phone call, and each day one at a time. It's okay that you might not know what tomorrow looks like, you've got today handled. 📝 2. Write down questions as they come Your mind may feel full right now. Keeping a list of your healthcare questions helps you feel more in control and ensures your concerns can be heard at future appointments, no matter when you think of them. Did you know you can store all these thoughts, appointment notes and more in BCNA's My Journey Notes? Comment below "learn more about notes" and we'll help you utilise these! 🤝 3. This is your journey, don't be afraid to seek support, your way. Support doesn’t look the same for everyone, and that’s completely okay. You get to choose what feels safe and helpful right now. For some, it’s leaning on a close friend or family member. For others, it’s joining an online community of others on a similar path who can relate. You might find comfort in one of our community groups, or you may prefer guidance from professionals like your healthcare team. What matters most is reaching out, however and whenever feels right for you to bring clarity, connection, and a sense of steady ground on days that feel uncertain and scary. 📚 4. Learn from reliable sources, but don't go overboard! It’s completely natural to want to understand everything about your diagnosis and what to do as soon as possible. But in the age of endless information at our fingertips, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, or even misled. Try to focus on sources that are evidence‑based, relevant to your situation, and aligned with your healthcare teams guidance. BCNA's Information & Resources hub is filled with useful articles, tips & advice. Comment below if there's a topic you're interested in that we haven't covered yet! ❤️ 5. Be kind to yourself Give yourself grace as you navigate these feelings and days where you might not be able to do as much as you used to. You’re learning, adjusting, processing, and that takes real time and energy. It is not something anybody can do overnight, or perdict and prepare for. Allow yourself to celebrate even the smallest victories: attending an appointment, asking a scary question, taking a moment to rest, or sometimes simply getting through the day. Your feelings are valid, and your body and mind deserve compassion. Treat yourself gently and honour how you’re feeling as you find your footing in this new chapter. We hope these tips are helpful and have found you at a time when you need them most. Don't forget the Helpline is here for you on 1800 500 258 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm 📞🌱Wednesday Wellness - 08Apr26 - Self-care tips when living with breast cancer🌱
Breast cancer can affect your body, emotions, routines, relationships and sense of self. Self‑care is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about finding small, caring ways to support yourself through a challenging time. 🌸 Be kind to your body Rest when you need to. Fatigue is common during treatment and recovery. Eat what feels manageable. Gentle nourishment is enough. Move your body in ways that feel okay, such as stretching or short walks. Tell your healthcare team about pain, side effects or discomfort. Support is part of your care. 🧠 Look after your emotional wellbeing Allow yourself to feel whatever comes up. There is no right or wrong way to feel. Take breaks from cancer talk, news or social media when it feels overwhelming. Use grounding activities like breathing, music, journalling or time in nature. Reach out for emotional support through counselling, peer groups or helplines. 🤍 Stay connected in ways that work for you Lean on trusted people when you can. Accept offers of help with meals, transport or errands. Set boundaries and say no when your energy is low. 🌿 Honour culture, spirituality and what gives you strength Connect with culture, country, spirituality or faith in ways that feel meaningful. Creative activities such as yarning, art, music or storytelling can be comforting. Keep routines or rituals that remind you of who you are beyond cancer. 🛠 Create a simple self‑care plan Notice what helps on both good days and hard days. Keep a short list of comforts or supports you can return to. Gently replace unhelpful coping habits with supportive ones, one step at a time. Review your plan as your needs change during treatment or recovery. 🩺 Ask for help when you need it Talk with your GP, nurse, oncologist or care team about physical and emotional concerns. Seeking support is a strength and an important part of caring for yourself. The Black Dog Institute has created this handy self-care workbook - while it's not tailored for people with cancer, it forms a great basis to create your own self-care plan tailored to your circumstances. 👉 You can access the workbook here 💗 Small acts of self‑care, repeated over time, can make a meaningful difference during breast cancer.🌱Wednesday Wellness - 01Apr26 - Simple Nourishing Snacks During Treatment🌱
When you’re going through treatment, eating can feel like a challenge. Fatigue, nausea, taste changes or reduced appetite can make full meals difficult, and that’s completely okay. What can help is keeping small, gentle, nourishing snacks on hand so you can eat when it feels right. Here are some easy, comforting snack ideas that offer steady energy and nutrition without feeling overwhelming. 🍌 Soft and Simple Fruit Options Sliced banana with a drizzle of honey Stewed apples or pears with a sprinkle of cinnamon Berries or melon cubes for something refreshing 🥛 Protein Rich Little Boosts Greek yoghurt with a spoon of jam or puréed fruit A small smoothie made with milk or a milk alternative, banana and oats Cottage cheese with soft fruits or crackers 🧀 Easy Bites for Energy Cheese slices with wholegrain crackers Peanut butter on toast or rice cakes Avocado mashed on crackers with a pinch of salt 🥣 Gentle, Warm Comfort Foods A small bowl of creamy soup Plain scrambled eggs Instant oatmeal with soft fruits 🥜 When You Need Something Quick Handful of nuts or trail mix if tolerated Muesli bars with simple natural ingredients A boiled egg or chopped cucumber sticks for grab and go options 💗 A Gentle Reminder - Every day is different. Some days you’ll feel like eating more and some days less, and that’s completely okay. Celebrate the little wins, and let these moments of nourishment be a reminder that you’re supporting yourself in the ways that matter most. You've got this 💪 👇Let us know how you go with these snack ideas in the comments!
