Letter CEO FROM THE
CONTENTS
LISTEN, WATCH, READ
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Letter from the CEO
NEWS 4
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
STORIES 6
PODCAST SERIES
W elcome to the help you to feel more confident to make decisions about your breast cancer treatment and care and to ask for any help you need. We know that being diagnosed with breast cancer and going through treatment can be extremely difficult, however by having access to the right information and knowing the options available to you, you may feel more in control. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the death of Olivia Newton-John last month. We know it was a hard day for many of our network September edition of The Beacon where we hope our stories will and we hope you all found the support you needed. She will be remembered for her dedication and incredible advocacy in awareness and improving cancer care through the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, while also being an inspiration to so many, especially those with metastatic disease. In this edition, we hear from some of our members including Patti, who was diagnosed a second time with early breast cancer last year and shares how her experience was different this time around. We speak to Medical Oncologist Professor Bogda Koczwara and BCNA Consumer Representative Naveena Nekkalapudi about managing long-term side effects of treatment, a follow-up to our very popular webcast in May, which is available to view now via our website . Additionally, we explore health insurance and what your rights are if you’ve received a breast cancer diagnosis. In June, we hosted the Pink Lady Match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with the support of our partners, Melbourne Football Club and Red Energy. Our Mini-Field
Trialling a new treatment for triple negative breast cancer The life-changing impact of Herceptin Ask the Expert: Managing long-term side effects of breast cancer treatment Raising awareness that men get breast cancer too Empowered the second time around Breakthroughs in breast cancer research Knowing your rights when it comes to health insurance Making progress with our policy and advocacy work Re-connecting with our community
of Women site outside the ground enabled people to visit and silently acknowledge or leave a tribute in support, celebration or memory of someone affected by breast cancer. Some of our BCNA members formed a guard of honour as the Melbourne players ran through the banner onto the field, while those sitting in the Pink Lady Bay cheered them on. It was fantastic to see the show of support in the crowd and via our virtual Pink Lady for those at home. The significance of the match was acknowledged with Melbourne landmarks and the MCG turning pink in support of BCNA for the evening. We’re looking forward to being able to stand on the ‘G next year for our sixth iconic Field of Women event, and we invite you to register your interest in attending on page 21. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, during this time, we will focus on optimal breast cancer care and what this means for you. No matter where you live in Australia, how you identify or at what stage of treatment you may be, you deserve equal access to the best care. There are many important dates during October, including Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day on 13 October and Male Breast Cancer Awareness Day on 20 October. In this Beacon , we share the stories of Jenny and June who are living well with metastatic breast cancer, and Harry, who also lives with metastatic breast cancer and features in our new podcast Raising awareness for men with breast cancer . The Pink Tradie campaign is on now and it’s not too late to get involved. We are calling on all tradies to wear pink, by pulling on a Pink Tradie beanie or a pair of BCNA pink socks. Businesses and individuals can register to fundraise and host a BBQ or
Work after breast cancer: Tackling the difficult conversations
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In conversation with Harry and Pieter: Raising awareness for men and breast cancer
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INTERACTIVE DIGITAL EVENT ASK THE EXPERT
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Kirsten Pilatti with Hugh Greenwood at the Pink Lady Match
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Managing side effects of hormone blocking treatment with Dr Michelle White
morning tea and start a supportive conversation about breast cancer in the workplace. Read more about the campaign and the Pink Tradie photo competition on page 23. We are also thrilled to announce that the Carman’s Fun Run will be back in Melbourne in February 2023! Keep an eye out for more details so you can add the date to your diary. Clinical trials are pivotal for major treatment advances, and we were pleased to hear about the breakthroughs from the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. On page 12 and 13 we share some of the key successful studies. Thank you as always for your support. We hope this issue leaves you with the confidence to speak up and ensure you get the treatment and care you need and deserve through every stage of your breast cancer experience and beyond.
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FACTSHEET Managing the financial impacts of breast cancer
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Around the Network
20 Pink Lady Match 21 Field of Women 2023 22 Upcoming fundraising activities 23 Pink Tradie is back!
Just diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, what’s next?
Editor: Amelia Cox Designer: Justin Dymott
Contributors: Jeanie Watson, Lisa Berger and Naveena Nekkalapudi
INFORMATION FORUMS Ballarat on-demand presentations Launceston on-demand presentations
Breast Cancer Network Australia Level 1, 293 Camberwell Road, Camberwell VIC 3124 1800 500 258 contact@bcna.org.au bcna.org.au
CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY
Kirsten Pilatti Chief Executive Officer
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September 2022 | Issue 92
Breast Cancer Network Australia
bcna.org.au
Issue 92 | September 2022
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