COVER STORY
Consumer Representative Lisa Tobin and Peta Murphy MPileen).
Reflecting on the last 23 years living with breast cancer, Lisa acknowledges there has been a ‘huge advancement’ in breast cancer care, treatment, and support, including the introduction of breast care nurses. ‘Imagine how much further we could go if we had all the data about metastatic breast cancer,’ Lisa says. ‘We would achieve far better outcomes in all aspects of research, treatment, and care.’ Lisa said the progress from the day BCNA released its issues paper – Making Metastatic Breast Cancer Count – in October last year to the Canberra call to be counted has been amazing. ‘The power of our joint voices (at Parliament House) will lead us forward, I’m sure,’ she says. ‘And this is just the beginning, we need to keep our momentum and our call for change going – we need to keep making our voices loud and clear.’ The panel discussion followed a National Roundtable on metastatic breast cancer data, which was hosted by BCNA in Canberra the previous day. The Roundtable was made up of key policy makers, cancer
The discussion was facilitated by BCNA Director Policy, Advocacy and Support Services, Vicki Durston, who noted that BCNA’s advocacy for better access to care, treatment, and support for people with breast cancer was as critical as ever: ‘We’re back here in Parliament House where it first started in 1998 when the silhouettes were planted outside of Parliament House,’ she said. ‘And yet, 25 years on, we’re talking about the lack of consistent national collection and collating of metastatic breast cancer data.’ Another voice heard was that of Peta Murphy MP, who is also living with metastatic breast cancer. ‘I’m just struck again by the strength and courage of the women and men with lived experience who haven’t just gone through something and said, okay… I’m just going to focus on myself,’ she said. ‘The fact that people do this, and that Lisa does it, it almost makes me cry every single time. ‘So never ever for a second think that anything that you’re doing isn’t making a difference,’ Peta said.
And this is just the beginning, we need to keep our momentum and our call for change going – we need to keep making our voices loud and clear.’
sector and data experts, and people living with breast cancer. Attendees workshopped and prioritised solutions that could see Australian cancer registries routinely collect cancer stage and recurrence data to help make those living with metastatic disease visible to policy
makers and health services. Recommendations will be released later this year.
Watch the Making Metastatic Breast Cancer Count panel discussion in Canberra here .
13
bcna.org.au
Issue 96 | October 2023
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online