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![The Health Quality and Safety Commission's Consumer Network](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/resizedimage600450-about-us-consumer-network.jpg?itok=eb1jhPW0)
BCAC is calling for breast cancer survivors to put themselves forward as candidates for membership of the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s Consumer Network to help improve health and disability care in New Zealand.
The Commission is the government agency charged with ensuring that all New Zealanders receive the best health and disability care within available resources.
It has a dedicated Consumer Network as part of its commitment to consumers being actively involved in decision-making about health and disability services, including governance, planning and policy development.
BCAC chair, Libby Burgess, says consumers have a valuable contribution to make to any efforts to improve the health system.
![The Pink Dragons show off their gold medals!](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/Pink%20Dragons%20Dec2013%20web.jpg?itok=5FgUGCtr)
The new dragon boat paddling season kicked off early in November and the Pink Dragons are all set for some hard training ahead. Some kept up their paddling enthusiasm throughout the winter with Sunday training whilst others kept up their fitness in other ways and took a well earned break from paddling.
Last season ended on a high with the ‘Pinkies’ winning a much prized gold medal and several other medals at the Regional Championships and Nationals. Some of the team also volunteered to collect for Pink Ribbon collection day in October, an event they are always happy to support.
![Associate Professor Melinda Irwin](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/Irwin_Melinda_150x200.jpg?itok=0tzCw4EV)
Breast cancer survivors taking aromatase inhibitors (AIs) such as anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane experienced a reduction in joint pain if they exercise while on treatment, according to results presented at the 2013 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, which is currently underway.
Five years of AI use after surgery or other primary treatment is recommended for postmenopausal women diagnosed with stages 1-3 hormone receptor-positive breast cancers, which account for nearly 70 percent of all newly diagnosed breast cancer cases.
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UPDATE 2023: Please note that this treatment is now no longer privately available in New Zealand and is still not available in the public system.
BCAC is pushing for the public health system to introduce ‘intraoperative radiotherapy’ for women with low risk early breast cancer.
Intraoperative radiotherapy has recently been introduced to New Zealand, but is currently only available to eligible patients who pay for the treatment privately.
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The 10th Australasian Lymphology Association Conference will be held in Auckland, New Zealand in April next year.
Entitled “Koru: life, growth, movement” the conference will take place from 3-5 April 2014.
The organisers are aiming to provide an innovative, thought provoking and quality three day Conference programme. In addition to the highly successful workshops and papers of the past, they are looking forward to a number of interactive and lively panel debates around contemporary issues.
There will also be a “Public & Consumer Day” on Saturday 5 April 2014. If you or someone you know is living with lymphoedema then this day is for you.
Key note speakers include Margaret McNeely and Stéphane Vignes.
More women choose to bare all and change the conversation about mastectomy and breast reconstruction
![](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/Nic%20russell%203.jpg?itok=uaLABapu)
More women have come forward to bare their breasts with fellow breast cancer survivor, Nic Russell, in an effort to demystify mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
A friend of BCAC, Nic Russell, recently posted pictures of herself topless online in order to celebrate the gift of life that comes from the decision to have a mastectomy.
She invited fellow breast cancer survivors to do the same and now three Auckland women have come forward and are having topless photos of themselves taken over the coming week. Another two women from elsewhere in New Zealand have also indicated that they want to participate.
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Check out all the latest news from member group Breast Cancer Support (BCS) by clicking on the link below.
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The Breast Cancer Network (BCN) is thrilled to announce that in 2014 they are running weekly meditation classes on Sunday evenings.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/Busting%20with%20Life%20Dec2013.png?itok=lFGjd639)
Come along and try dragon boating!
As the first breast cancer survivors team to be set up in New Zealand some 16 years ago now, the Busting with Life dragon boat team have heard it all –“I don’t think I can, I’ve never done it before, I haven’t been in a team for years, I’m not very strong right now” - even, “I can’t swim!” And many of these same ladies have tried it and become hooked on the sport. Busting with Life reckon they have got something special going on and they want you to consider being a part of it.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/Nic%20Russell%202.jpg?itok=tRtP9jZT)
An Auckland breast cancer survivor is urging other women who’ve been through breast cancer to join her and bare all in an effort to demystify mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
Friend of BCAC, Nic Russell, has posted pictures of herself topless online in order to celebrate the gift of life that comes from the decision to have a mastectomy.
Nic was diagnosed at the age of 31 and had a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the same time as her two-year-old daughter was fighting cancer.
Nic’s daughter sadly died, but when Nic turned 40 this year, she chose to celebrate by having these powerful images taken of herself topless.