A diagnosis of breast cancer is a life threatening and life changing event. Many of us are not prepared for such news and respond in different ways as we try to understand how breast cancer will impact on our health, hopes and happiness.

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.

Those featured have different types of breast cancer, are from a wide range of backgrounds, age groups and ethnicities. They describe their experiences of finding out about breast cancer, their early feelings, and how they coped. They talk candidly about their experiences and feelings of during the ‘breast cancer journey’.

Partners, daughters and sons also share their reactions and what they did to help; while health professionals discuss their approaches and what they offer.

We hope you'll find some comfort, strength, and support in seeing and hearing about others' experiences of breast cancer. That you'll know you're not alone and that you'll be reassured to see those who come through the journey with a renewed vigour and appreciation for life.

To read brief profiles about the women and men who appear in the videos click here.

If you'd like to see more videos of women with advanced (secondary or metastatic) breast cancer check out our legacy videos here and our Metavivor videos here.

The BCAC patient videos

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Who is at risk of breast cancer?

Who is at risk of breast cancer?New Zealand women and men talk about their risk factors or lack of them for breast cancer.
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Diagnosis with breast cancer

Diagnosis with breast cancerNew Zealanders talk about how they came to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
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Reactions to a diagnosis of breast cancer

Reactions to a diagnosis of breast cancerNew Zealand women, men and their families talk about their reactions to a diagnosis of breast cancer.
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Surgery for breast cancer

Surgery for breast cancerKiwi women and men talk about surgery for breast cancer. A breast surgeon also provides comment on various procedures.
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Chemotherapy for breast cancer

Chemotherapy for breast cancerNew Zealanders share their experiences of chemotherapy. A medical oncologist and breast care nurse also provide comment.
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Radiation therapy for breast cancer

Radiation therapy for breast cancerWomen discuss their experiences of radiation therapy, with a radiation oncologist also providing comment.
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Hormone therapy for breast cancer

Hormone therapy for breast cancerWomen share their experiences of hormone (or endocrine) therapy for breast cancer.
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Breast reconstruction

Breast reconstructionWomen discuss whether they decided to have breast reconstruction or not and talk about the surgical procedure.
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Clinical Trials for breast cancer

Clinical Trials for breast cancerNew Zealand women who have been involved in clinical trials for breast cancer talk about their experiences.
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Secondary breast cancer

Secondary breast cancerWomen and men with secondary breast cancer talk about this diagnosis and the impact on them and their families.
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Family Support

Family SupportNew Zealanders, their partners and family members talk about the kind of support that helped them deal with breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Your relationship with your partner after breast cancer

Your relationship with your partner after breast cancerNew Zealand women and their husbands and partners talk about their intimate relationships after breast cancer treatment.
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Embedded thumbnail for What helped get me through breast cancer?

What helped get me through breast cancer?

What helped get me through breast cancer?Kiwi women talk about the things that helped them get through a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Life after breast cancer

Life after breast cancerWomen discuss their lives after breast cancer.
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BCAC would like to say a very special thanks to all the interviewees and their families for their courage and generosity in sharing their stories.

Our thanks also go to breast and general surgeon Associate Professor Ian Campbell, medical oncologist Dr Richard Isaacs, radiation oncologist Dr Claire Harding, breast care nurse Cheryl MacDonald and clinical psychologist Danute Leathem for their involvement in this project.

If you've found Kiwi Stories of Breast Cancer useful and you'd like to help cover BCAC's costs, please visit our donation page. 

Our thanks also go to the following:

  • Arnott's Tim Tam for the funding they provided for this video project

  • The Cancer Society Manawatu

  • The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation

  • Sinda Hall of Sweet Louise

  • Dell Gee and Diane Toulmin of the Rotorua Breast Cancer Trust

  • The Millennium Hotel in Rotorua

  • Tonic Creative Communications

  • BCAC administration and communications staff

  • The BCAC committee for its support of this project.

The production team for Kiwi Stories of Breast Cancer was:

  • Producers:                        Chris Walsh and Emma Robinson for BCAC

  • Director:                           Emma Robinson

  • Camera:                            Mathew Knight and Jon Bowden

  • Sound:                              Ralf Hawley and Craig O'Reilly

  • Music:                               Charlotte Yates

  • Editor:                               Sue Malcolmson

  • Copies of DVDs:                The dub shop


Filming took place between December 2010 and March 2011 in Palmerston North, Rotorua and Auckland.

The opinions expressed in Kiwi Stories of Breast Cancer are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BCAC. Most of the participants were not treated by the medical professionals who appear in Kiwi Stories of Breast Cancer.

Kiwi Stories of Breast Cancer are the copyrighted property of BCAC.

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