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Weird title to a Breast Cancer story - right?
Gertrude was the name we gave to my cancerous breast - I had to keep my breast through chemo and radiation due to the nature of Inflammatory Breast Cancer - once it 'blew up' it no longer looked like my breast and I couldn't wait to get rid of it. Calling it Gertrude was a way of separating it from myself.
Get Out Gertrude is the name of a blog I started to tell my family and friends about my journey. Along the way it has also become the repository of all my thoughts and feelings as well. You can read more here http://getoutgertrude.wordpress.com
BCAC is strongly supportive of the need to gather accurate information about the incidence of breast cancer in New Zealand through breast cancer patient registers.
This year's Pink Ribbon Breakfast campaign run by BCAC member group, the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, is raising money to establish breast cancer patient registers in all New Zealand oncology units.
BCAC deputy chair, Chris Walsh, says quality information detailing the types of breast cancer, types of treatment used and survival rates among New Zealand women would help to improve breast cancer treatment in New Zealand.
On this page, you can view videos of women and men talking about their experiences of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, care and life afterwards and see how they have coped with this challenging experience.
BCAC chair, Libby Burgess, recently met with BreastScreen Aotearoa (BSA) representatives - Jacqui Akuhata-Brown (Group Leader, National Screening Unit (NSU)), Marli Gregory (newly appointed Clinical Leader, BSA), Barbara Irwin (Programme Leader, BSA) and Deborah Harris (Corporate Services Manager, BSA).
That meeting follows another earlier this year, with the aims of further strengthening the relationship between BCAC and BSA; establishing good, frequent communication to ensure BCAC is kept up to date with developments and issues; being informed of progress in reaching screening targets; offering consumer representation; and discovering whether BSA will distribute the BCAC Step by Step support pack at their breast cancer diagnosis appointments.
| On this page you can find out more about those who appear in BCAC's Kiwi Stories of Breast Cancer. Our thanks go to all those below, who were brave enough and generous enough to share their stories so that others could learn more about breast cancer. | |
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BCAC welcomes the announcement from BreastScreen Aotearoa that Dr Marli Gregory has been appointed as its new clinical leader.
Marli says she is excited at the opportunity to work with BreastScreen Aotearoa and the NSU, and looks forward to extending her skills and knowledge into new areas.
“I am proud to be part of helping all New Zealand women have access to our world class breast screening programme.”
Low vitamin D levels among women with breast cancer correlate with more aggressive tumors and poorer prognosis, according to a new University of Rochester Medical Center study highlighted at the American Society of Breast Surgeons meeting in Washington, D.C in May 2011.
The study is one of the first to examine vitamin D and breast cancer progression. Previous research has focused on vitamin D deficiency and the risk of cancer development. The URMC epidemiology study associates sub-optimal vitamin D levels with poor scores on every major biological marker that helps physicians predict a patient’s breast cancer outcome.
Sadly, BCAC member group, the Rotorua Breast Cancer Trust (RBCT), recently lost their chairperson to breast cancer. Fellow trustees on the RBCT write of her warmth and vitality and how Donna showed them how to meet life's challenges head on. Read their tribute below.
When I first met Donna we had an instant connection. We were both facing a huge hurdle - breast cancer. I had just completed my treatment journey and Donna was about to embark on hers.
Her wonderful sense of warmth and vitality was inspirational so we asked her to be a poster girl for the 2009 Pink Walk campaign. She accepted and from then on Donna became one of our Rotorua Breast Cancer Trust sisters.
